Centipedes. Pigeons. Poisonous mushrooms & men in a forest. Mayonnaise. Hard-boiled eggs. Choking on fish bones & men in restaurants. Shadows. Mildew. Heavy footsteps & men in alleys. Lightning storms. Plane crashes. Falling asleep on the subway & men on trains. Bare skin. Lake slime. Red bloom algae & men on beaches. Language barriers. Hostile places. Guns & men who wield them. Running too fast & standing too close. Friendly masks & white candy vans. Unattended drinks & dark corners. Knocks at the door & strange voices. Letting my guard down &—