Someone trying to take advantage of me at a bar…This wouldn’t be surprising for most of the women I know, just as it wouldn’t be jarring for me. In this particular instance, however, the “other” wasn’t a man trying to take advantage of me sexually, instead it was a woman in her late 50s/early 60s (impossible to guess an age you haven’t yet been) attempting to take advantage of me monetarily. Because she’s the age of my mom, spoke of her children…I will admit, my guard was down, and I awarded her some trust, unjustly. But soon, my trust for her was vanquished, never to be revived.
My doctors, upon my release from the final hospitalI attended, warned my parents (who reminded me of this warning later, once my brain had healed enough to store the warning – & it did!) that it was very likely, that people would try to take advantage of me.
I’ve already shared on this blog, SOME of the times people have tried to take advantage of me, though certainly not nearly all…This woman in Petaluma, was particularly bad, in my opinion: She played on my weakness, by offering “support” for my injury and acting enormously sympathetic as a result of her “work with survivors”.
Firstly, she offered to counsel my mother, as parents of survivors of Severe TBIs are always recommended psychiatry, as they too undergo immense trauma. Because I have become much more savvy presently, I replied by asking of her accreditation (what her degree is in, where it’s from)…She had nothing to share in response. Instead, she skipped answering my question, by seamlessly proposing her second attempt to take advantage: offering me a room in her home.
The attempts to take advantage of me simply continue. Even in the safest of environments! My awareness of this tendency of *some* others, has consequentially heightened: My pointed awareness of this, is continually capitalized by each experience of it, just as the story I shared above articulates.
Alongside this awareness, comes a sadness. I’ve always known that awful people existed theoretically, though I’ve seldomly experienced it personally. Sure little things (in school for instance) have taken place. But the frequency has certainly aggrandized.
I’ve always believed that the overwhelming amount of humans are innately good & I still believe this to be true, but presently the “bad eggs” are seemingly (as I appear even more vulnerable than before) drawn to me. Henceforth, preserving this faith in humanity’s goodness is getting harder. My caregivers CERTAINLY accentuate goodness, but presently I don’t spend much time with them & so I’m dealing with un-empathic strangers.
By the time we were on our the second and final drink, it was undoubtedly confirmed that she was attempting to play me. The wrongful & selfish 2 attempts at obtaining my money, accentuated this.
In response, I simply excused myself.