I'm one of those girls who had a nightmare first experience of going out in public. I can look back  on it now and laugh at the various things but there was so much that could have gone wrong or worse than it did. Having said that though I am actually kind of grateful that it happened as it forced me to take a closer look at who I was and what I expected of myself and others.

At the time I was living on campus at a University in student accomodation located across a back alley from the main uni campus. It was late one night, I'd recently bought a wig and was learning makeup and at about 1am while studying I was hungry. We didn't have anything in our house and the accomodation vending machine wasn't working so I had to go onto campus (about 50M down a fairly well lit path) to reach the nearest one. I'd gone to a bit of an effort to do my makeup and get dressed so I couldn't be bothered undoing it all just to walk 5 minutes  outside.

So I went out...

Was terribly nervous but made it to the main footpath on campus and started walking down it when I noticed a shadow from behind (unusual at 1am). Looked around to see a guy following me (note I can't hear and my vision is not the best at most times but at night even more so). I kept walking, it was well lit and I know there are security on campus and if I was going to get robbed, well  I only had $2 on me for the machine.

About half way down the path I was grabbed by the shoulder and, getting the fright of my life, accidentally elbowed the guy in the stomach (I'm a red belt in Tae Kwon Do so the combination of fright and training made me do something to protect myself automatically). But turns out the guy was security and I got carted off to the security centre (with no ID and only $2 in coins and my apartment key). Anyway I had no idea what he said but the police turned up half an hour later and I was escorted back to my apartment where I fetched my ID (Having paraded in front of the rest of my apartment mates). Police searched my apartment room apparently looking for drugs and I was asked where I got the clothes from (I bought them though I gather they thought I'd been pinching them off a washing line). They left later and so I was left to talk to my apartment mates who were quite understanding actually using pen and paper.

What I found out later was :

- I'd been accused of assault by the security personnel.

- They thought I'd done it as a "dare" and that I'd been taking drugs

So I pretty much went from no one  knowing to everyone in an hour (actually it was a big relief and I didn't have to worry later about "Who o I tell???").

Charges were dropped later actually and the security personnel was reprimanded for poor treatment of a Deafblind individual and I was reprimanded a little for not having my ID on me.

I would have died. 

I'm sure I nearly had a heart attack at the time.

In retrospect it was probably one of the dumbest things I've ever done but fear, frustration with a little twinge of exhileration can get you doing some really stupid stuff.