I was walking to the Columbia Heights Giant when I heard a guy say “hey girlfriend” in my direction. I looked around and found there were only a few other pedestrians around in what’s usually a pretty busy area. The man was sitting on the steps of the Tivoli. I looked him in the eye and said “that’s not appropriate” as I kept walking. He laughed and said “hey girlfriend” again in the same fake-sweet tone. I kept walking and shouted back at him “that’s harassment – don’t do that, you asshole!” When he predictably laughed more and said the same thing again, I turned around and looked at him from what was by then a half-block distance, and I shouted “NO” as loudly and sharply as I could. I shouted “NO” at him twice, the same way as I shout “NO” at my dog when she does something bad. A few other pedestrians stopped and looked at me. I didn’t hear him say anything else after that. I’m grateful that he wasn’t still there when I came out of the grocery store a short while later, but I was seething for at least an hour after it happened.

Submitted on 3/22/12 by JR.

Location: Park Rd at 14th St NW, DC

Time: Night (7:30P-12A)

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