As a woman, I hate the universality of how fraught with danger a simple walk home in the dark can be. Throw in the creepy bus conductor...

Your description of that segment of your walk home made me shudder.

As did your naivete. Never mind your silly purse!!!!

I like how you tell of the experience by contrasting your own path with your friend's.

And I wonder, does independence gained due to lack of care by parents equal that gained by rebelling against their overprotection?