Today started like any other, except for the fact I am working on a Saturday to catch up on the back log of outstanding web sites. Catching the train on the weekend is a lot different. The usually packed silent trek into Osborne Park is curiously sparse and a lot noisier on weekends. It turns out people don't mind talking on the train as long as they're not going to work. And one man in particular had too much to say.

We came into close proximity about a minute after I stepped off the train and checked the bus time table. It was clear from the start he had something to say and was waiting for the right moment to begin. His stare never left me, and for a moment I thought I had something on my face. He spoke.

"When's the next bus?"
"Four minutes, unless it's been and gone early"

I had hoped my reply would have been the end of it, but for reasons that elude me, he proceeded to tell me about how a friend of his who lives nearby had murdered a woman a few years ago and the Police have never been able to track him down.

He then said he'd personally committed over a hundred crimes himself and had avoided capture even though he left his DNA all over the crime scenes. Suddenly I'm conjuring up images of Ed Gien.

I noticed how confident he was when he talked about these things, like the topic gave him sort sort of social edge, so at this time I thought that if there is really something to this then I should do something about it. I reached for my phone and thumbed through the menus until I found the voice recorder. It escaped me for a good 15 seconds while I tried my best to keep him talking, and by the time I started recording I had just asked him to be more particular about the crimes he had allegedly committed.

"What sort of crimes?"
"I wont say"

He kept talking though, sometimes jumping into childhood memories about how he was raised in the Osborne Park industrial area and that he knew every part of it intimately. The bus rolled up and by this time about 10 people had cued and even though I was at the front of the line I let everyone else on first, hoping he would go in front of me so I could choose to sit as far away as possible.

I didn't expect him to do the same though, and when we were the last 2 standing and it was clear neither of us was going to get on first, I suddenly remembered these particular buses have those single seats right at the front, and I could see it was empty. I got on and sat in the granny seat and the man followed - and sat in the granny seat on the opposite side all the while not breaking eye contact with me.

I was genuinely creeped out at this stage as it was clear he had taken a liking to me for what ever reason and had no intention of giving me up that easily. I think he liked that I had shown interest on what he was saying.

A split second before the doors were about to close a woman was running towards the bus. This was the only time he broke eye contact with me so he could yell at the driver:

"Hey wait let her on or she'll get raped!"

I could see how uncomfortable the comment made her. This guy had no problem saying what was on his mind and didn't care that everyone could hear.

So it's only a few minutes before I have to get off and now he's saying something about raping some dude's wife in front of her children. I felt the little hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

My stop was coming up and as I stood I expected him to do the same, and if he had I'm not sure what I would have done. But he didn't and instead wished me a good day. I got off, breathed out, and called CrimeStoppers when I walked into the office.

It's surprising how little you are able to recall when asked for a description of a man you've just only minutes ago had a disturbing conversation with, but I'm excusing myself because I was in partial shock the whole time.

The CrimeStoppers operator couldn't believe what I told her, not so much the nature of what he said though but more than he was so open about it. She took all the details I could remember and gave me an email address to send her my audio files.

It may all turn out to be nothing. Maybe he's just some guy who likes to make people uncomfortable with made up stories. Or maybe there's some truth in those stories, and just maybe I've just given the Police some vital help in solving an ongoing investigation.

In any event, I can't make that call, only they can. But I can sleep comfortably knowing I at least did something.