As soon as I graduated from high school, I moved with my best friend from Sacramento to San Diego. We found a new apartment to share and both of us found jobs together at the airport. She had met her current husband while working there, and they introduced me to his friend, who later became my husband. He and I became inseparable, and decided to move in together.

At the time of this story, we were lucky to find a really cute beach house on the strand of Mission Beach -- just two houses down from the oceanfront -- on a quaint little lane. The "boardwalk" runs the entire length of Mission Beach down through Pacific Beach, eventually ending at the edge of La Jolla. It was one of our favorite past-times to spend our evenings "walking the boardwalk" -- especially in the winter. It was bare of tourists this time of year. Taking this walk always had a very calming effect on me in particular. We would walk along and listen to the waves crashing on the shore as we gazed out at the surrealistic silver blue of the water, watching as the sun set over the horizon.... The temperature there in the winter is still a balmy 70 degrees, rarely did it get very cold that time of the year.

At the time during my life, I worked for a stock brokerage firm in downtown San Diego. I used the metro bus system to go back and forth to work. One day I had gotten on the bus to head home after work. I was one of the first to get on the bus and found a seat towards the back. While the rest of the people were boarding the bus, I looked up and noticed a very large black man, wearing army fatigues, coming down the aisle towards me. He was looking at each person as he walked by them and then, he stopped next to my seat. Looking directly at me, he sat down in the seat next to me. I didn't have any problems with sharing my seat with him. It was just his size was rather intimidating to me, since I was just a tiny 5'4" and he must have been at least 6'5"!! Once settled in his seat, he turns and asks me: "So how old are you?"

I sat there for a moment trying to figure out why he would even ask, and then logically figured maybe I looked young or something. I responded with "I am 18... Why do you ask?"

"Well, that's good... that's REAL good...," he responded very seriously, "you won't be statutory rape then!"

I began shaking inside, wondering what the hell he meant by that comment. I turned my head away from him and focused on the scenery passing by in the window. I tried to shut him and his comment out of my mind.

I was so naive and trusting back then and totally inexperienced with sexual things. I had grown up in an environment that was totally sheltered. I was always the "compliant child" never doing anything I wasn't supposed to do. My first kiss was when I was 16! In my heart, I had always wanted to remain a virgin until I got married. In high school, any guy that asked me out, that I knew would want more than a kiss, I just wouldn't go out with. I had very little experience with men prior to my boyfriend.

Much to my relief, he got off the bus a few stops before my own. When the bus arrived at my destination, I got off the bus and ran home. As the afternoon progressed, I soon forgot the experience. I had detached from it so well, that I didn't even mention it to my boyfriend.

Later that evening as the sun was starting to set and we were hungry, my boyfriend suggested that we go for our usual walk on the boardwalk and find somewhere to eat. We walked down the boardwalk a ways and had dinner at our favorite little cafe. I still hadn't told him of my earlier encounter. We finished our meal, and then started the walk back towards our house. We were probably three-fourths of the way there, when suddenly he remembered there was something he wanted to get at the store we had passed a ways back. I was very tired from my emotional ordeal that afternoon, so I suggested that he go ahead and go on and I'd just meet him at home.

The boardwalk at dusk was usually fairly deserted that time of year, however, it was an especially nice evening out. Even thought there weren't many people out that evening, I had always felt safe to walk alone on the boardwalk. There was always someone outside and lots of houses around. As I am walking back to my home, I get to the place along the boardwalk that is mostly commercial buildings. These buildings were pretty much closed for the winter and this was the most deserted area along the entire boardwalk. I notice as I am walking, a group of about 5 or 6 guys up ahead, sitting on the boardwalk wall. My heart sinks, as I notice towering over the top of this group of guys, was the black man I had encountered earlier on the bus that afternoon.

My stomach was twisting in knots and my heart was beginning to pound. Trying to be very nonchalant, I gather my wits about me, and proceed to walk calmly ahead, pretending not to notice the group. As I get a few steps past the group, I breath a sigh of relief. My sigh was premature. Much to my horror, I hear a familiar voice call to me.

"Hey you! GIRL!! Yeah, you know I am talking to YOU!!"

It was him -- the black man. He was calling me to come over to him. I pretended not to hear him. He then called me again, this time much louder.

"HEY YOU!! I KNOW you can hear me girl!! Come over here for a minute."

I stop, turn around facing him, and look at him, replying: "I'm sorry, but my boyfriend is waiting for me and I have to hurry home."

He again tries to call me over to him, saying, "I just want to talk to you for a minute. I won't hurt you... Come on!!!"

The other guys with him all looked high on something -- probably "reds" -- since that was the "drug of choice" back then.

Not wanting to, but seeing no way out, I hesitatingly walk towards them, trying to keep my distance. Suddenly, from within the group, his long arm reaches through the bodies and grabs hold of my arm, like an octopus capturing it's prey, pulling me toward him. I try protesting verbally, babbling about "getting home to my boyfriend" again. All the while, I keep looking around to see if anyone was around. On this particular evening, the boardwalk was totally deserted, except for his friends. My boyfriend was nowhere to be seen.

Somehow, before I knew what was happening to me, this man managed to pick me up effortlessly and pull me over the little boardwalk wall onto the sandy beach side. He kept repeating, "Just calm down baby... I just want to talk to you."

He began to fondle me. Like an idiot, I kept trying to use psychology to get him to let me go. It wasn't working very good. I wasn't yelling or protesting very loudly, I guess because I was still so naive as to think I could "talk my way out of this one." Anyone walking along the boardwalk might have just thought we were lovers in a quarrel (stupid me!)

He still hadn't gotten very far with me, when suddenly, this couple walking their collie stops in front of the group, peering around them and starts talking to me!

"There you are!" they exclaimed. "We have been looking all over for you!!"

Looking at the group of guys shielding me from view, they comment very matter-of-factly, "She's with us." I am stunned and very, very relieved.

They look down at me and ask, "Are you ready to go home with us now?" I nod my head yes.

The group of men step away from the boardwalk wall like the "parting of the Red Sea" as the couple reach out their arms towards me. The black man releases his hold on me. My heart was pounding before they arrived, but I suddenly felt this strange calmness. I took their hands as they helped me climb over the wall.

I walked alongside them down the boardwalk towards my lane. No one said a word. It was really strange because I remember feeling like I was in a dream or something. We didn't talk! You know how people are usually nosy, and want to know the details of the situation, or they at least make comments? This couple didn't! When we got to my lane, I turned and started walking down towards our house.

I took maybe 4 steps, when I suddenly realized I hadn't even thanked them for helping me, and I didn't even know their names! I quickly turned to say something to them -- but they were gone! They were no where in sight! There wasn't time for them to go anywhere else!

I knew then that someone was watching out for me. And since that day, I have never feared for my safety. I have faith that I am being "taken care of."