Too paranoid?

I've never been attacked or mugged, but I've heard enough stories in the media that I generally try to be smart about personal safety without obsessing about it. I avoid walking through empty alleys and areas in the city at night if I'm alone, for example, and try to stay aware of my surroundings.

After what happened earlier this evening, however, I'm torn between feeling incredibly naive/unprepared and the fear that I'm way too paranoid.

Around 10:30 pm, I was heading home after spending some time at my sister's place. I'm lucky enough to live very close to a subway station (at least until we move :-)). Usually I take the direct route out of the subway station onto the street. Because of the cold, this time I decided to take a slightly longer but warmer route that took me through part of an underground passage connecting two shopping malls.

I found myself walking behind a man (medium build, looked like he was in his mid-30s, scruffy hair and clothing) carrying a large rucksack; two other people were a ways ahead of him. I barely registered the fact when the couple went through the doors ahead, but definitely noticed the man just ahead of me stopping as soon as the couple had disappeared, and turning around to face me.

"Are you familiar with the downtown area?" he asked.

Thinking he was just going to ask for directions, I cautiously replied, "Sort of. Why?"

He then launched into a long and rambling story about how he had just arrived in the city and wasn't familiar with the area and that he was planning to visit some relatives in Ottawa but found out he needed to take a bus bla bla bla.

The "bla bla bla" was me tuning out of his conversation because I suddenly realized that the guy had dropped his rucksack and was walking slowly towards me, fumbling in his pocket and pulling out some id to show me (perhaps to prove he wasn't homeless?).

I slowly started backing away and interrupted his story to ask politely but firmly what he wanted. Instead of telling me the point of his story, he continued his rambling but kept moving closer to me as well as glancing up and down the empty hallway.

The combination of the last two factors set off alarm bells in my head and I belatedly realized that I had put myself in a position where IF I screamed for help, it was unlikely anyone was going to hear me.

I immediately interrupted him again and said, "I'm sorry, but I can't help you if you don't tell me what you want" and with heart pounding, walked quickly around and past him, ready to break into a run if I heard him coming after me.

"Fine!" he yelled after me angrily. "Just forget it, then!"

A moment later I was up on the street, wondering if I was being overly paranoid.

In retrospect, I realize I should have asked him right away to stop moving towards me. I should also have looked more closely at his id to get his name (though that would have meant moving within arm's reach, which I wanted to avoid). And instead of going past him, I should have simply retraced my steps and gone immediately back to the main subway station, where I knew there were people. But most importantly, I should have not been a wimp about the cold and taken the safe route instead of the warm one.

But y'know, at the same time, I also feel guilty. What if the stranger's actions were perfectly innocent and he really did need help?

To you women out there: What would you have done in my situation? (other than not putting yourself in that situation)

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