To Catch a Predator

"How's the brownie? Do you know who I am? I'm Chris Hansen from Dateline NBC."

If only Chris Hansen was around when I was hanging out at the beach in Florida a little over a week ago.

After two days in the car and one night in an extremely creepy Motel 6 (and, no, they didn't leave the lights on for us), Bethany and I decided a little relaxation at the beach was a good idea. The sun was shining and the fish were jumping. It was a perfect day at the beach...... Then came the guy on the jetski. At first we had a hard time deciding if he was a lifeguard or not. He came roving over on his red Kawasaki all decked out in red and white. He stopped the engine for awhile not very far from us and pulled out his red and white thermos. The dude snuck looks at us as he floated around.

After awhile, we got to the point where we were creeped out enough to get out of the water, so we went to lie on the beach. Soon, two girls in the water went up to him and asked if they could have a ride. The first girl hopped on, and he took off. After about ten minutes he came back and took the second girl for a ride. Bethany and I were sitting there, thoroughly disgusted, and wondering what would possess these girls to hop on some random stranger's jetski.

"Ok, can you describe him?" Bethany asked me, "Just in case we need to give a description to the police."

The second girl's ride was a little different from the first girl's. After about ten minutes, the guy stopped the engine out in the ocean, and pulled out his cooler. He then, apparently, poured the girl a drink, and sat side-saddle on the jetski so they could have a little conversation out on the ocean. And this wasn't a twenty or even thirty-year-old guy. He was probably about forty or fifty. After about half an hour, he finally dropped the girl off on the beach. Another beach was in his sight now; one with more prey.

Creeper in action

Bethany and I finally felt that it was safe enough to go back in the water, so we headed out to the sandbar. Just then, we saw the little red blob in the distance, and it started getting bigger and bigger. Mr. Jetski was back. When he was about thirty feet from us, he turned off the engine and began to float around. We turned our backs to him because making eye contact was surely the kiss of death. He mosied his way around us, and we proceeded to turn the other way. It was like he was a shark circling it's prey. The predator of the ocean.

We started making our way toward the beach, hoping he would get the hint, but he slowly followed us in. After we made our way across the hot sand, he finally got the point and drove off, leaving us feeling completely creeped out.

The Internet and chat rooms aren't the only place where predators prey on innocent little girls. Ok, I know, it's not like we're twelve or anything, but it was still a yucky feeling. I can just see Chris Hansen riding in on a seahorse, "I'm Chris Hansen from Dateline NBC. You enjoying that ride?" Yeah, that'd be cool.

P.S. It's my half birthday today. Only 6 more months to buy me a present.