Are you following me?

I've often thought of the persuasive power of the presidency. Indeed, it's one of the President's most powerful weapons, to use the bully pulpit to influence the opinions and choices of Americans. I've wondered, for example, what would happen if the President, during a state of the union speech or some other speech that gets a lot of press attention, said something to the effect of, "In closing tonight, I'd like to make a suggestion to you all, that after this speech is over with, you get up, go outside, and say hello to your neighbors. Maybe you've never met them before, maybe you've just shared a smile or a nod here and there on your way to the grocery store or on your way back from your daughter's soccer game. But I think our country would be better off if we'd just get to know each other a little better, starting with our neighbors."

I think it's a good idea. But, we all know there are some pretty funky people out there that maybe we'd rather not meet. Case in point: the guy who "accosted" me at a Chevron gas station today on my way back from a free Algerian (!) concert featuring a guy named Khaled and a surprising guest appearance by Carlos Santana. I'm sitting in my car, waiting for my wonderful and beautiful girlfriend to come back from getting water and a candy bar, when a guy pulls up right next to me and starts talking to me. My window up and my radio on, I can't hear him, and so I turn the radio off and roll the window down.

"You followin' me?" he says. He looks to be from somewhere in the middle east, his accent Indian-like. "You followin' me?" he says again, this time with a little more anger in his voice, a little higher intonation as I give him my most puzzled look.

"I'm sorry?" I said, not having any idea where he was coming from.

"You followin' me? You're followin' me!"

I of course shook my head and said, "I'm not following you. I wasn't following you."

Again, he repeats, "You followin' me!" He then pointed at his eyes and then at mine, saying, "I'm careful. You're followin' me. You be careful!" and then he promptly drove off.

I wonder if he knows his neighbors.