"What the hell are you doing here?"

I turned and stared at the woman, "What?"

Her glare bore into me making me feel incredibly unwelcome, and even more uncomfortable. I had just barely stepped around the corner when she had screamed at me.

"You're not supposed to be here!" she yelled. It appeared her anger was causing her to tremble.

"I'm sorry..." I started lamely. I looked around, it was just a normal street. I had gotten lost looking for the post office and on a spontaneous whim took a street that looked inviting.

"Sorry!?" she screeched, "I can't believe you!" she began hyperventilating and stepped very close to me. I could smell cigarettes on her breath as she narrowed her eyes at me and said, "If you screw up my chance with-" her eyes widened as she saw something behind me.

I turned to look, the strange woman making me paranoid. I saw a young man about my age glance at her, at me with a frown, then shrug when he returned his gaze to the woman. He began to walk off nonchalantly back the way he came.

The woman's face went slack, unbelieving. "Oh dear God... you... you..." her eyes swiveled back to me, "WHY are you HERE!? You're not supposed to BE here!" she was wracked with sobs and collapsed to her knees.

I began to back away. "Look, I'm sorry, I'm just looking for the Post Office... I'll go tell him I wasn't with you."

A low moan escaped from her lips as her fingers curled into frustrated claws.

I turned around and saw everyone on the street staring at me. Everyone. It certainly didn't feel as though I had gotten their attention because of the woman crying behind me, people blocks away were also staring at me. They all went about their business as normal, but their eyes were locked on me.

I blinked several times, confused. "What... what's going on?" I asked quietly.

In an eerily synchronized manner all eyes that were trained on me swiveled to look just next to me. I glanced where they looked to see a man who I was certain wasn't there moments before.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he asked.

Everyone returned their gaze to their own business finally.

"I'm just looking for the Post Office..." I started again.

"I know that, I mean down this street."

I glanced around. "I'm lost." I tried again.

"You weren't supposed to walk down this street. You should have known that." He grabbed me by my arm in a vice-like grip and dragged me back to the main street I had come from. "Walk that way..." he said, pointing and shoving me in the direction he indicated.

"But..." I started.

The man was gone.

I scuffled my feet lamely as I turned and started in the direction he had pointed. I got to the front of a coffee shop and was met with furious glares from everyone there. I hunched down a bit and kept walking, too afraid to ask for directions.

One final act started a chain reaction that, to this day, I am plagued with. A man walking towards me on the street caught my attention with the furious scowl he wore. I recognized him as the man who had shrugged at the woman on the side street. As he passed he spoke through clenched teeth.

"Thanks a lot, I couldn't meet her because of you. Now I'm destined to be alone the rest of my life."

From that statement forward I found out just how far reaching a decision, a whim, could be. Shunned by everyone with the worlds worst luck caused by disgruntled peers I dread every new day.