The motel felt safer until the door locked

Other · Grindr · United States

This started in Fremont and ended badly in San Francisco. We met on Grindr and he suggested I book the room because he could not host. In my head that sounded safer than going to a stranger’s apartment.

At first everything looked fine. Front desk nearby, cameras outside, my car parked where I could see it. Once the door closed, the whole feeling changed. He pulled a gun, tied my hands and started going through everything I had. Backpack, phone, banking apps, passwords, all of it.

Then he made me get dressed and drive to an ATM. After that he took more of my stuff, crossed the Bay Bridge and dumped me out like I was nothing. Since then I think differently about safety. Sometimes the dangerous place is not the first location. Sometimes it is the second door that closes.