In summer holidays, I frequent the City Library, which is located on the eastern rim of the People’s Square. On the ground floor is a bookshop, where I pick up a book or two from time to time.

One day I was there as usual. It was such a sweltering day that I was in a mini-skirt. For convenience, I was leaning against the shelves, leafing through the publications, purse in hand. All of a sudden, a strange-looking guy came into view. Looking fortyish, he was dressed in unconventional clothes, those garments ridiculous on a man of his age.

At first, I felt he was creepy because he was looking through a teen romance which appeals to girls mostly. Later on, I accidentally noticed the man occasionally tilt his head and peep at the purse in my hand. What gave him away was that he was reading the book upside down. I had a hunch that he was not a straight guy. The very thought sent chills down my spine, but an inner voice told myself to stay calm.

When the guy was not looking my way, I quietly put down the book I was browsing through and beat a hasty retreat. Not daring to look back, I hurried further into the crowd in the square. The weather that day roasting, a lot of people were milling around out there in the shade or among the stands. Thanks to that, I was able to get myself out of the guy’s sight without much trouble.

Strolling around, I blended in with the herd, with a calm countenance but a heart pounding madly. Having mingled with the hordes about 15 minutes, I turned around, only to find the weird guy loitering at the gate of the library. He was scanning the square as if to locate me.

Oh my God! I broke out in goose pimples instantly. The next moment saw me crossing the street and boarding a bus at a shelter on the other side. Once inside the vehicle, I breathed a heavy sigh of relief. I heard the irregular throbs of my wildly beating heart, my palms doused in a cold sweat.

This hair-raising experience raised my awareness that we girls should learn some skills for self-defence. If we are out alone, we are supposed to be wary of people and things around.

Not everyone is an angel.