New Friends: Neighbor?

One day while walking home from school my friend Hannah and I were approached by an older man (he was maybe 50).  He singled me out, however, and said (in French) “hi! I see you everyday walking to and from school, I own the boutique right next to your house.  How are you?” I didn’t recognize him, but I had never been into the boutique by my house, and I stand out a bit in Dakar, so I told him I was doing well.  He continued to walk with us, talking about his store, and how he was good friends with my maid’s family.  I mostly ignored him, because he was getting annoying, but was still listening enough to tell what he was talking about.  (Background cultural info: In Senegal it can be frustrating to have big bills because even the large, well-established shops they don’t have, or are unwilling to give out, change).  The man started talking about change, so I figured he, just like most Senegalese, was complaining about never having enough change.  Turns out, he was telling me he had way too much change, and not enough big bills.  That’s weird, I thought, but whatever, as we kept walking he asked me if I had any large bills I would like to exchange for smaller coins.  I didn’t, so apologized, but thought the conversation would be over.  The man kept pressing the issue, however, and I started to doubt his honesty.  He asked me if I had a credit card, and what kind it was, so I could go to the ATM and take change off his hands.  At this point he was skeezing me out a bit, but Hannah and I weren’t in trouble yet, and it was a situation we could easily get out of.  I told him I didn’t have my credit card with me, it was at home, to which he answered, “don’t worry, I’ll walk you home, you can get your credit card, we can go to the ATM, and then I will give you change.”  Needless to say, he was very eager to get my money.  I told him, my family was waiting for me, and I had to go home, it was too late in the day, but he wouldn’t take no for an answer,  it got to the point where he was physically blocking Hannah and I from crossing the street to get to our neighborhood.  After getting increasingly assertive, and then just plain arguing with him, Hannah and I push past him, and continue our walk (at a much brisker pace).  Thankfully, he didn’t follow us, I’m not sure what I would have done if he had, but we arrived home safely, and with nothing stolen.