:: Reviews :: Rants ::

Recently I met a random guy from the myspace service. He used the search feature and found me because I apparently live in the same town. I am writing this to define a difference on what it means to be a stalker, and what it means to truly becoming a friend. I have no fear in completely exposing people like this, so if I seem mean, that is my intention.

Since a very young age, I was involved with web design which allowed me to converse with people from across the world. An example is I have a good affiliate of this domain who lives all the way in Japan. I have another close friend that I have known since I was 12. We've spent our years helping each other with not only our websites, but truly devastating situations and through that, we have created a bond based upon trust. It took time in which we can now call each other close friends. If I ever had the time to visit California, the place where she lives, I would not hesitate meeting her, because she knows my mind, as I know her, and I know no harm can come from a such a friendship.

I met a man whom was a complete stranger, on the myspace service. This isn't obviously the first time I have met a complete stranger on the internet, who hasn't? I don't mind at all speaking with a stranger through the internet, discussing various points of interest, views on debates, whatever. This man however, was Spanish speaking, and as the majority of my friend's know, I am not fluent in Spanish. As I am better at reading and writing Spanish, rather than speaking it, I could comprehend a good deal of the conversation, although it did take some work.

This man is 23 years old, Spanish speaking, and lives in my town.

At this point, a stranger can become one out of four things. The first still continuing to carry the role of a stranger, a person who recognize at the market, the one in a lifetime glance at a person whom you'd never know them even if you see them again. They also may become an acquaintance, a person whom you know but you aren't particularly good friends, examples being a person attending the book club, or someone attending your school. The third is you develop this friendship until you are friends, I need not explain that. And the fourth, a stalker, someone with persistent and repetitive actions for some unknown goal which is usually for anything but, friendship.

If someone is consistently harassing you into pressuring you into something that's against your wishes because they only want to be your friend, you, my friend have fallen into what is known as the "I want to know you!" ploy. Let me explain further into detail. This man I met, although he told me time and time again, that he merely wanted to know me, had goals set for something else, obviously. In the first conversation, he immediately asked for my phone number, because he wanted to "know" me better. I clearly explained that I didn't know him well enough, and he insisted. Not only that, he was also persistent in asking me to go places with him, to see a movie, to go dancing, to take a walk in the park, to go cruising.

Since I had just met this guy over the internet, and had absolutely no idea what kind of guy he was, what his interests were, or any beliefs of his, of course, I said no. In conversations following, the conversations where consisting dull and repetitive. He would ask to meet somewhere, so I could get to know him. Because you know, I really want to know this stranger. *cough* Conversations proceeded as such:

Him: Va a la cine?
Me: No.
Him: Va a la bailar?
Me: No.
Him: Va a la parque?
Me: No.

You think the average person would get the hint by now. Obviously not. Therefore it lead the lovely conversation into something a little more, direct. I went into further detail into how I didn't know this guy, and that I simply didn't trust him. His only excuse for anything was the "I want to know you!" I argued with a valid point that getting to know people can be done just as well on the internet as in real life. Not to mention, I would be incapable of speaking to him in real life due to the language barrier.

This man ran out of excuses. The last thing that he defended himself was with this one question, "You no like latinos?" I roared out in laughter at my computer, and said silently to myself, "I LOVE latinos!" However, I felt that was slightly inappropriate, and just went on with the argument of not knowing him. Oh yes, but that was gold.

Now, what is the value in this long and detailed story, might you ask? By explaining this situation, with proof that there are people like this on the internet. I hope you can use my story for future reference in any type of situation. I advise everyone not to fall into simple ploys such as this one. And to come to a conclusion, I also wish to say, that people like this man, are not appreciated.