Tuesday 29 July 2008

Cybersex - The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

I have two experiences with net relationships that I'd like to share. The first was most of our worst nightmare... began online, moved to the phone..when I began feeling uncomfortable in the relationship ( a lot of what he'd told me hadn't added up) and tried to break it off.. things started getting ugly.
I didn't hear from him in a few weeks, and just as I began to feel that things were getting back to normal.. he called to tell me he had cancer. Being an investor (or so he said) he told me he had set up a portfolio in my name that I would get when/if he passed away. I told him I thought he was joking, that he couldn't possibly have done something like that without my social security number.
A chill went up my spine when he recited my social security number to me. I hung up the phone and debated calling the police. About a week later, he called me at work. (I'm an air-personality at a radio station) he called me while I was on the air, knowing full well that way he wouldn't have to get a receptionist who he knew would never put him thru to me. He told me he "knew" I was in love with him.. that he could hear it in my voice.
I asked him how that was possible, since he was hundreds of miles away. He turned up his radio.. and it was my station!! He was somewhere in MY TOWN! I refused his request to see him, hung up and called the police. He knows that the next time he contacts me could mean his arrest. This was about a year ago, and I still have nightmares.. I still feel that he is lurking. I've since changed jobs and location, but still am affraid.
You would think that would scare me off my computer forever.. and it certainly HAS scared me away from chat rooms. However.. around the same time that this was happening, I sent an email to a collegue of mine.. or at least, I thought I was sending him mail. It would up being a wrong number (similar screen name.. on aol).
The person who recieved my mail eventually became a dear friend.. he now has a strong presence in my life.. as far away as he is..we have been able to maintain a deep respectful friendship.. and we both know its limits. So, there you have it.. the bad, the ugly and the good, of online relationships.

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