I instinctively thought the same. He was talking a lot, like I wrote in the piece, and it seemed like if I had responded, it would have been his 'in'. Still, thank you for saying I handled it all right-one does still tend to beat oneself up after this kind of encounter, wondering what could have gone better. Yes, one really does not expect this kind of thing going out of the house (at least I don't, I'm just your regular woman!) but having sth like pepper spray at hand in the future might be wise...