Creepy man encounter

Hello btv reddit, Something really scary happened to me today and I need to tell SOMEONE.

For context, I am a 22 year old 5’4 girl. At 2 pm this afternoon I rode my bike from downtown to the cove at Oakledge park. There were dog walkers, but nobody was really sitting around because it was pretty windy. I had leaned my bike against a tree instead of locking it up because I had my saddle bag on it so I didn’t want it to leave my sight anyway. I was on the beach alone looking for sea glass and cool rocks, 20 feet from my bike. This man comes down the path and immediately I clock him as someone who could steal my bike. He had some sort of craft beer can in his hand (so like not homeless, he had nothing else with him). He walked by my bike and I thought okay he isn’t gonna mess with me so I went back to beach combing. A minute later he comes over to me and is like what are you looking for? I explain that I’m looking for cool rocks and sea glass. He proceeds to start looking with me and trying to hand me rocks and I’m like haha no that’s okay I don’t need help but thank you. He then stands up (this dude is like over 6 ft) and he’s like oh you’re particular about it huh. More context, I am wearing Patagonia baggies women’s shorts, so they are short, and he is just standing over me. We sit like that in silence for way too long. He just stood over me. At this point I start to panic a little internally, but I just silently keep looking for rocks while he tells me about coming here in his childhood (he must be like 35?) He says he’s from Shelburne, I tell him nothing, he asks me questions about myself and I just kind of give general short answers. He tells me his name is Shawn, I lie about my name. He asks if that’s my bike, I nod. He got close to me again and said, I shit you not, “this is such a nice sheltered area, away from the city, secluded from the wind” at this point I am SHITTING MYSELF. He dumps out the dregs of his beer so he no longer has the can in his hands and I’m like oh my god this guy is going to do something really bad to me. Thank the fucking lord this random dude comes down to the cove, Shawn sees him, and I take that moment to stand up and skedaddle to my bike, but he follows me. I’m just ignoring his questions at this point, I see him look at the other guy, I look away and when I look back Shawn is just walking back up the path.

I went up to the other guy immediately and told him I think he just lowkey saved me from this man. He agreed with me and said he was glad he was there. I am too, thank’s random guy.

And Shawn, townie Shawn, if ur reading this, here are some things you should never do again.

Approach young women ESPECIALLY when they are alone Stand way too close to said stranger when she ignores your questions Tell a stranger how lovely and secluded the area you are in is Follow a person when they say goodbye and walk away from you Probably drinking in public, because that’s like yk illegal

Shawn or Sean or whatever, I want you to know that I came home crying. You scared me. I hope the next time you harass a girl she has a gun.

Sincerely, Not Nora