I just had something occur which has left me feeling very troubled.
I came to the public library to try and get some work done, and was seated at a carroll when I was approached by an asian male, mid 40's or older who just stood there until I looked up and made eye contact with him. He then told me that I was his father. I responded by telling him that he had mistaken me for someone else. I kept repeating that as he persisted, asking me first to take care of him and then asking me to forgive him,
While a part of my brain registered the hurt and sense of abandonment he was projecting, my mouth was saying that I was not who he thought he was, and that he needed to step away, which he did. He walked away and sat down at a table nearby and continued to stare at me. So when a security person (yes, public libraries have security staff nowadays) happened by, I mentioned the incident and pointed the person out.
I don't know if the person is genuinely troubled, or was just working a scam. But I'm bothered that my sense of violated boundary overrode my sense of compassion. Apparently there *is* a limit even for someone who persists in trying to help the homeless even after nearly getting killed and can forgive the person that tried to kill me.
But maybe this will let me take off the blue outfit I seem to want to wear beneath my regular clothing as I get to be mortal again.
