Any scary story lovers out there?

If so, grab a flashlight and read this to yourself in your spookiest voice! I forgot to mention one man in my single life–then, in the 1980s, and now. Although I never dated him, seeing him again was completely unexpected!

When I was single the first time, there was a man around campus who turned out to be infamous among the college girls. He was tall, blonde, handsome, athletic, well-dressed, seemed like a total dream…unless you had the misfortune to date him. I can’t recount the girls I knew–roommates, acquaintances, friends who went out with him once and returned from the date with a different impression of him. They called him The Molester. (Coincidentally, it rhymed with his first name.)

Looking back, I wonder if any of them told anyone other than girl friends? I mean, I never dated him but I knew of him. I just never thought to wonder if anyone had told someone in authority who could help put a stop to his behavior.

Years later, as a married woman, I was talking to a friend about the good old days of college, experiences and stories of people we knew and she mentioned The Molester. She had dated him! She couldn’t believe I knew about him, knew his name, knew what he did, etc…(I’m telling you, he got around!)

So imagine my shock when I am at the first Sunday night meeting for singles I attended after my divorce and beginning my unexpected life (the one my pastor asked me to participate in because he thought the people there would be of a better caliber than those who go to singles dances!) and up the aisle walks The Molester!

I about fell off the bench!

He was a little bit heavier, and his blonde hair was a little bit darker, but other than that he looked so much the same I knew EXACTLY who he was. Twenty years later and he is still single (no surprise, there) but still walking around freely? THAT, I couldn’t believe!

I thought I had to have been mistaken.

There was a “hostess” sitting by me. (Hosts and hostesses are people who attend the singles functions and wear special gold badges. They are designated event helpers assigned to be friendly to others. They mingle, they help in any way they can, you can talk to them, ask them anything, they’ll introduce you to people, etc…) So I asked her for help. “Excuse me, but is that man ___?” (I named his name.)

She looked at me strangely and said, “I don’t know who he is, I don’t even know his name, but I DO know you should stay away from him. DO NOT get near him! And whatever you do, don’t date him! That’s all I know.”

I couldn’t believe it. Twenty years later and infamous for apparently all of the same reasons.

Later, at a singles dance, I saw The Molester again. He walked toward me, looked me right in the eye as he approached, and I stared right back at him. I knew who he was. In the middle of our visual exchange, a MAN near me walked over and said, “Stay away from that man. There is something wrong with him. He is not safe.” Protectively, the man stood really close to me (like a bodyguard) and stared at The Molester until he moved on to ask someone else to dance.

I guess that’s the difference between then and now. Even men know about The Molester now.

I never did date him. I must not have been his type. And in this new single life, I still haven’t dated him (haven’t even danced with him.) Thank goodness I’m not his type.

And THAT is the story of the bachelor I never dated.

A little spooky, isn’t it?

Ok. Turn the flashlight off. On to better things.

There’s another person I haven’t told you about. Meeting this person was VERY unexpected. But what did I expect living…my unexpected life?