DAY ONE HUNDRED SIXTY NINE

This picture isn't the best macro I've taken by a long shot but I posted it as a reminder to me of what happened this morning.

I went out early this morning (5:30 am) to catch a sunrise but forgot that it's June gloom time in Santa Barbara which means there's overcast until early in the afternoon so I decided to stalk some insects instead. Only, I turned out to be the one being stalked. Not by the insects but by this creepy guy at the Mission Rose Garden. I noticed him out there when I first got out of the car but he was far enough away from me that I could watch his movements and be on alert for any dangers. Then I moved to a section of the garden where he was out of my line of sight and when I looked in his direction again as I walking towards my car, he was gone. I got in my car and noticed that he was walking over to the direction where I was standing. He walked over to a bush and at first. I assumed he was leaving the garden but he didn't. He stood behind the bush as if he was waiting for me. I watched him from my car and then he steps out from behind the bush and still sees my car there but he's not sure if I'm in it so then he bends down to see if I'm in the car and I'm right there staring right at him to let him know, "Look buddy, I'm not your victim today." Then he steps back behind the bush again and waits a minute or two before stepping out from behind the bush again.

I left and went to another area to look for insects and then returned to the garden. When I arrived, he was across the garden in the same spot he was the very first time I saw him. He saw me but he didn't realize that this time, I wasn't alone. I grabbed my camera and proceeded to look for insects so he disappears from the bench and I just know he's walking over to where I am. As I'm walking back towards my car after taking a few shots, he decides to lie underneath the bush that's about 15 ft to the side of my car. Then I get in my car and he moves to another bush that's 5 steps away from the bush he's under and lies under that bush.

A few more people started to arrive to the garden as I was leaving but he seemed unaware of them as he seemed to only have eyes for me and I had something for him.

To all photographers and everyone in general, be aware of your surroundings. There are some crazy people in the world.