Let me give you the background first:

4 years ago when I used to take a certain train to work I met this man that I will call J. and we became great train buddies (only met each other in the train).  Even though there was some chemistry, nothing happened because he was married and I am just not going there.

When he got divorced, I think around 1 and a half year ago he e-mailed me and asked me out for a drink.  I declined and mentioned that I was happily living with someone.

Every now and then we would exchange a hello e-mail. March this year, I casually mentioned in an e-mail that I was going to the Brazilian Consulate.  He, turns out, works 1 block away, so he met me there and in the 5/10 minutes while I waited for my passport he caught me up on his life: divorced, has a new girlfriend, working 2 jobs.  I joked that we can never get our timing in synch, first he was married, then I am living with someone, now he has a girlfriend.

A month ago he sent an e-mail saying hello and I told him I was starting to write again (I knew that him as a writer would appreciate that) and he wrote back: “ I am pleased to hear that you are putting your mind into words.”

And that is that, that is the extent of our friendship, a monthly or every other month e-mail saying hi!

So, today as soon as I walked into the office I am being told I have a phone call in one of the broker’s line.   I answer, thinking it is a sales call since this person didn’t call me on my direct line.

This female voice asked me if I knew J., then asked if I was his girlfriend.   I started laughing and said no. I had to laugh it was such an out of the blue, weird question.

She proceeded to tell me that someone saw us together at the Consulate.  She went on to say that he is a terrible person.  I said I didn’t believe that.

Now in hindsight I should have not even said a single word to her.  I should have just hung up. But it is one of those things that feels it happened so fast.

When I asked her name she said it is best that I didn’t know it.  So I said if you can’t give me your name please don’t ever call me again.

She thanked me, said that she thought I was an honest person and hung up.

I am so unnerved by all this.  How can someone think I am involved with someone that I barely know and never see or speak to.  Should I be worried now? This person clearly has issues.

So I e-mailed him my phone number asking him to call me back right away.  He never even had my phone number before.

After one hour he calls and says that he thinks he knows who is behind all this. He doesn’t really say who it is.  When I ask is it the ex-wife or the new girlfriend, he just answers: It is related to that! He says I should not worry. I wish he had provided me more info on this person or this whole situation.

And that is it!

How can I not worry? That are so many crazy stories I hear  Of course my mind is going now full speed with all the terrible possibilities.

I am now afraid of this unknown person, because if she goes as far as calling me she could be curious to see what I look like and actually come after me.

***

I am now even afraid of meeting new people, a new man.  One just never knows what sort of baggage they will bring, what crazy people they have in their past.

Time to say another prayer asking God to protect me from the seen and unseen evils.

Please God put only good people in my path!