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Last Sunday:
I'm at the supermarket. They don't leave much space between the steam tables and I'm blocking this guy. I step out of the way and apologize. He respond with, "Hey, I know you! I see you all the time at [Gym I Work Out At]."
I suppose this could have led to a friendly conversation. What I actually did was say, "Ok" and go to the other side of the supermarket. In my defense, I was heading there anyway.
In retrospect, I wonder if he'd tagged me as "the bald headed Chinese guy." I hope not. It'd be pretty awful if he told every bald headed Chinese guy that he saw him all the time at that gym.
Yesterday:
I get a phone call from a Nice Man who identifies himself as calling from a local Prestigious Opera Company. As it turns out, it's a good thing he does this. After we exchange ritual greetings, he asked me how I enjoyed A Midsummer Night's Dream, the Prestigious Opera Company's most recent production. If he hadn't identified himself, the conversation would have felt seriously stalker-y.
Anyway, instead of "do I have a stalker?" what goes through my mind is "why is he calling me out of the blue and engaging me in friendly, if pointless, conversation?" Maybe someone asking me for my opinion in a warm, friendly voice freaks me out. I have no idea. For whatever reason, my immediate reaction is to say, "Umm.. I'm not ready to donate to [Prestigious Opera Company] right now. Thank you and have a nice day." [This, BTW, is not a lie. I would seriously consider donating to them someday, but jeez, I've only ever attended the one production. Give me a little time to build up loyalty first.]
Just before I hit the disconnect button on my cellphone, I hear, "Whoa! You've cut straight to the chase!" At least I was right.
Today:
I'm working from home. Someone knocks at my door. Dread fills me. Last time I worked from home, it was a man trying to convert me to his religion. This time, it's a woman. She's not holding any religious materials. She's not holding anything at all. This worries me more than if I saw, say, a Bible or a clipboard with notes about some political cause. We exchange ritual greetings. She asks me how I am. Of course, I say I'm fine and I reciprocate by asking her how she is. She responds, "Good, but I'd feel even better if you'd adopt me and take me out for some liquid sunshine." WTF? [Note: I totally reserve the right to use that line as dialogue in some story I write.]
I blurt, "That's too freaky for me. Have a good day" then close the door. (Yes, I apparently wish people a good day even when I'm blurting whatever is on the top of my mind. That occurred to me right after I shut the door.) She leaves, or at least I assume she's left. It's been a few hours and I've been busy working.
I do wish I'd held it together a little better so that I could find out why she said that. People don't go door-to-door propositioning other people, do they? (That would be an extremely sad way of trying to get a date.)
I'm at the supermarket. They don't leave much space between the steam tables and I'm blocking this guy. I step out of the way and apologize. He respond with, "Hey, I know you! I see you all the time at [Gym I Work Out At]."
I suppose this could have led to a friendly conversation. What I actually did was say, "Ok" and go to the other side of the supermarket. In my defense, I was heading there anyway.
In retrospect, I wonder if he'd tagged me as "the bald headed Chinese guy." I hope not. It'd be pretty awful if he told every bald headed Chinese guy that he saw him all the time at that gym.
Yesterday:
I get a phone call from a Nice Man who identifies himself as calling from a local Prestigious Opera Company. As it turns out, it's a good thing he does this. After we exchange ritual greetings, he asked me how I enjoyed A Midsummer Night's Dream, the Prestigious Opera Company's most recent production. If he hadn't identified himself, the conversation would have felt seriously stalker-y.
Anyway, instead of "do I have a stalker?" what goes through my mind is "why is he calling me out of the blue and engaging me in friendly, if pointless, conversation?" Maybe someone asking me for my opinion in a warm, friendly voice freaks me out. I have no idea. For whatever reason, my immediate reaction is to say, "Umm.. I'm not ready to donate to [Prestigious Opera Company] right now. Thank you and have a nice day." [This, BTW, is not a lie. I would seriously consider donating to them someday, but jeez, I've only ever attended the one production. Give me a little time to build up loyalty first.]
Just before I hit the disconnect button on my cellphone, I hear, "Whoa! You've cut straight to the chase!" At least I was right.
Today:
I'm working from home. Someone knocks at my door. Dread fills me. Last time I worked from home, it was a man trying to convert me to his religion. This time, it's a woman. She's not holding any religious materials. She's not holding anything at all. This worries me more than if I saw, say, a Bible or a clipboard with notes about some political cause. We exchange ritual greetings. She asks me how I am. Of course, I say I'm fine and I reciprocate by asking her how she is. She responds, "Good, but I'd feel even better if you'd adopt me and take me out for some liquid sunshine." WTF? [Note: I totally reserve the right to use that line as dialogue in some story I write.]
I blurt, "That's too freaky for me. Have a good day" then close the door. (Yes, I apparently wish people a good day even when I'm blurting whatever is on the top of my mind. That occurred to me right after I shut the door.) She leaves, or at least I assume she's left. It's been a few hours and I've been busy working.
I do wish I'd held it together a little better so that I could find out why she said that. People don't go door-to-door propositioning other people, do they? (That would be an extremely sad way of trying to get a date.)
