Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Why Can't Someone NORMAL Tell Me I'm Beautiful?

Sometimes I err on the side of being too nice.

Yesterday, when I left work and went to my bus stop, there was a man there waiting for the bus. A Navajo, he told me (three different times before we got on the bus, innumerable times afteward). He thanked me for listening to him and told me I was nice, that most people usually ignored him. That made me a feel bad for him, so I didn't object when he sat down right next to me on the bus.

I did, however, object when he attempted to touch my leg. When he asked me to help him write his resume. When he attempted to touch my leg again. When he kept leaning in closer and closer. I had felt sorry for him to begin with, but my obvious cracking open of Bringing Down the House did not deter him from what he had started.

He had a slight aura of creepiness I had discounted in the beginning, but it started growing more and more as he talked to me. By the time he told me I was beautiful and he'd always wanted to be with a white woman, I was trying very hard not to hyperventilate.

When he told me he'd graduated high school in 1984, I said--loudly--"Funny, that's the year I was born." Then he proceeded to list all the good qualities a young, educated white woman like me had. Still trying to touch my leg, obviously not getting the blatant hits in the form of the book and my age.

I managed to bite down a scream when he asked for my phone number. I refused to give it to him. He asked if I had a boyfriend, and I figured this was one of the few times when lying like hell was actually the wisest course of action.

"Yes," I said.

"Very much so," I responded when he asked if he loved me.

"Oh, we're planning on getting married," I told him when he mentioned that if things didn't work out . . .

For the love, I wish someone normal and close to my age would hit on me!! Just once!!!!!

5 comments:

Xan said...

Okay, pepper spray may have been a bit much in this situation. But, definitely creepy and I probably would have hit him at some point. I'd seriously recommend the RAD class, but in this particular situation I probably would have told him he was being inappropriate and that you would appreciate it if he'd move and leave you alone. Then at that point, if he continues to be a problem I'd get up and move closer to the bus driver.

Katie said...

I wouldn't have used the pepper spray on the bus. But as he was acting out, I was afraid he'd try to follow me once I got off the bus. He didn't, but that's when it occurred to me that I might like to have pepper spray--especially since I told him it was inappropriate. I couldn't, however, move--I was sitting next to the window and there was no way he was letting me go anywhere.

Thankfully, the bus driver was watching the whole episode in his mirror, so I knew I had someone paying attention.

Xan said...

Yay for the observant bus driver. Were you the only two on the bus? (And I would have freaked if he'd followed me off the bus too, btw)

Get a Mag light, one of those mini ones...hehe...thump him over the head next time...sometimes guys need it...thick skulled, you know? Joking aside, I'm glad you're okay and that creepy guy left you alone when you got off the bus.

Thirdmango said...

Hey, once I meet you, I promise to hit on you, though I'm not technically normal, I am closer to your age. :)

Th. said...

.

You should have started singing John Wayne's Teeth.....