Stick Around

Story Sent in by Inez:

A day or two after a storm had passed through our area, I went on a date with Travis. We walked through a park that was littered with various downed sticks and branches. Nothing too major, but a bit of a mess.

Travis asked, "What games did you play when you were little?"

I said, "Hide and seek, tag, we raced around the neighborhood–"

"Ever play 'Stick Tag'? You whack someone with a stick and they have to catch you. I'll show you." He picked up a sizable stick.

I said, "I hope you're not planning to whack me with that."

He said, "Stick tag is fun. It's not a hard whack."

I was in a skirt. I wasn't about to chase some doof around a park, especially if he was the sort who'd hit someone with a stick on a first date. "I'll take your word for it."

He hit me with the stick on my thigh and it actually hurt quite a bit. He then said, "Now you chase me!" and he ran further down the path, swinging the stick the whole way.

I was so stunned that I didn't know what to think. And I was in pain. I thought about calling the police and then realized that he was just being an idiot and (probably) didn't have actual intent to cause real harm. But I sure didn't have to stick around. I hobbled toward the closest bus stop and waited there until the bus came to pick me up.

He called me more than once but I didn't answer. He texted, "Where are you???" and "That's not how the game works!!!" but I refused to dignify the man-child with a response.