I live in a relatively large city in Virginia that has a large university in the north side of the city. We have a rather impressive homeless population, especially near the university, and there's always at least one hanging out on every single street corner. We have our fair share of crime, like any other large city.

This happened to me while I was still in college, about 2012 or so. On our main busy thoroughfare is the main event building for basketball games, graduation ceremonies, etc., along with the huge campus Barnes & Noble, some restaurants, all of that. Three lanes going both directions with a median in the middle.

I was walking down one side of the road up against the buildings going towards the bookstore, and a man (who appeared to be homeless) began following me, keeping up with my pace a few feet away closer to the street. He popped out a pretty large pocket knife and held it so that the handle of it was hidden by his jacket sleeve, but you could see the blade and heard it when he popped it open. He was grinning, and he started mimicking my steps, the length of my stride, and he'd stop when I would stop. It was almost comical, the way he moved, like out of a movie. He had some pep in his step, kind of sliding his feet with each step, almost like he was dancing to the pace of us walking.

He never said a word, just kept grinning and following and copying my movements. This went on for about two blocks until I stopped at the entrance of the bookstore and stepped up on the three steps leading up to it. I made eye contact with him, and he stayed below, he didn't try to follow me in. Maybe he would have if I never turned to face him. Who knows. He suddenly turned in a rather dramatic movement and stepped out into the road between two cars that were parallel parked.

Luckily, the traffic light right before where he stepped out had just turned green, so the cars waiting hadn't yet hit the gas pedal to go. He stood there just grinning until a car stopped in front of him and the driver yelled at him and threw something when he didn't react to the blaring horn.

No idea what this guy wanted or what he would've done if it had been night or something when the area is less populated.