Last summer, in the early evening I was on the Damen (#50) bus, heading south from it's northernmost stop, where I had just been at a yoga class. There were only a few other people on the bus, so I was seated in the aisle seat, with all my yoga gear next to me and my purse on my lap. An old man got on the bus. I think maybe he was drunk, but I couldn't be sure. He ambled around the bus a bit before approaching me and asking me if I wanted some quarters. I politely told him "No, thank you." He insisted. "Here, take the quarters, I'm giving them to you!" he shouted, and he tossed the quarters at me, at the same moment leaning forward, as though he were falling, and touching my breasts.
He then pulled himself back, turned around, and ambled back up the bus aisle and sat himself down in a side-facing seat, so he could still see me and I could see him.
I was left wondering what just happened? The quarters, there were maybe 2 or 3 of them, had fallen either in my purse or to the floor. Had that been an accident? Did the bus brake and lurch and force him to fall towards me? Did he just try to pay me quarters so he could touch my boobs? I was baffled, humiliated, and I felt violated. I wanted to get off the bus early, but he got off before I was able to and I was relieved that he was gone.
He is old and wears tattered, dirty clothes, and his hands are dirty. He's white with longish, scraggly gray/white hair and lots of chin stubble. He is very thin and probably just under six feet tall.
I wish I'd thought of taking his picture, but I didn't find out about Hollaback until a few days ago, so that didn't occur to me.
~Submitted by G
