first stop - only stop : pt 1

the big four for the day:

1. i spent so many hours at lipgirl's talking psychology and philosophy (the girl she wanted me to meet* is a psych major) that i was too late to enter the club (4.45am). i was home and showered by 5.30, and i thought i could rest for half an hour... yeah, right. my SC woke me up an hour and a half later to find out why i wasn't at the stop yet.

* nice girl, but as i'm not really into spiritual paedophilia

i need to mention that my throat's gotten worse :/

2. i remembered to take my towel with me everywhere today, and it proved incredibly useful on a number of occasions. in particular, using it as a pillow or to dry my hands before hitting the mess hall, and keeping it on my lap (or, for just a moment, connected as a bib) was mighty humorous.

it even went rollerblading with me - and tonight's course was particularly trying.

3. i was attacked with psalms this morning.
"what does that mean?", i hear you ask. i'll tell you.

i was sitting on the bus and chatting with a girl i once served with, when suddenly a grizzly-looking man who looked to be in his forties appeared looming over me and staring intently.
"<insert rank here>: do you get enough respect?"
"i don't see where you're going with this."
"you need to read psalms all your waking hours - that way your soldiers will respect you!"
"i'm fine, thanks."
...
he carried on.
...
i got unresponsive and he moved along to the next person. i returned to the earlier conversation, trying not to pay him any attention. i couldn't - i watched as he moved on to the next soldier, some kid who had no clue how to deal with him. when i realized the guy wasn't letting go i got up to put a stop to it. i caught a number of thumbs-up and nods of approval as i took the few steps down the line...

"sir, could you please leave these people alone?"
(dark anger flashes across his face) "what are you saying?"
"sir, i'm asking you to please stop bothering people who have nowhere to turn."
"ARE YOU GOD?!"
"no, sir. i'm just asking you not to harass other people on the bus"
"YOU'RE THE DEVIL! YOU'RE HEZBOLLAH!"
(a little offended, and unimpressed with where this was going) "no, sir. i'm a jew. we're brothers. and i'm asking you to stop bothering other people."

i went back to my seat while he continued yelling at me, hatefully cursing me. that could have been that, but he began saying psalms at me, angrily staring at me without pause. this was incredibly aggressive and caused me a lot of discomfort. there was stunned whispering all around, and the girl i was talking to and i shared a few fascinated comments. i wasn't going to lose the staring contest, though; it wouldn't do any good to show weakness.

also, i realized that as much as i was unhappy, i could take it and at least he wasn't bothering others who couldn't.

after a minute or two of his staring and muttering profusely, i tried again. "sir, are you familiar with the expression "love thy neighbour as thyself"?
"what? a pig like you?! a devil like you?!"
he spewed forth a pretty nasty curse, then back he went to his staring and psalming at me, his eyes filled with a hatred and anger that really made me pity him.

about two minutes passed, i was just coming to terms with his cursing me and how i wasn't going to let it get in my head when he screamed at me again - this time without provocation:
"I'M NOT MAD! IT'S YOU WHO'S THE MAD ONE!". then he resumed his now normal pose.

i was originally going to get off at the second stop, but i'd had more than enough. as i got up, i looked at him and said, "i wish you nothing but good."

4. [continued]