Scene: QV is walking home from work. A man comes up beside her, she barely hears him through her earphones. He is wearing them too.
him: what are the chances of my buying a beautiful girl such as yourself a cup of coffee?
QV: (realizing a voice is talking to her, she turns to him and turns away quickly) um...sorry, i've got to get home
him: c'mon, one cup.
QV: uh, no thanks?
him: what, you don't trust strangers who come up to you on the street?
QV: no
him: well what about if we stay in touch, you could give me your phone number or email?
QV: i don't think so
him: we wouldn't be strangers anymore
QV: if i see you again in passing we wouldn't be strangers anymore either
him: what are the chances of running into each other again in city of 10 million people?
QV: you never know
him: what are the chances that we're meeting now?
QV: i'm sorry
him: you really don't trust me?
QV: it's the modern world, man. (as she crosses the street) but i appreciate it.
It's the modern world man? Who the f just said that?
What just happened?
He didn't strike me as particularly sketchy, but in looking back at the conversation it was totally sketchy. He may have been on the up and up, but how am I supposed to respond to that? I say that with the side note that he was not attractive to me, and maybe a little off putting in a stereotypical way. He had a shaved head, baggy sweatshirt and a serious tone that altogether made me almost step into the street before the light had changed. If he had been cute, closer to my age and less serious would I have accepted? Can I say I might have and not sound like either a liar or a potential victim?
Can I also say that I had this HUGE grin on my face the entire conversation? I hate that that is my knee jerk reaction to discomfort. It's absurd!
It is the modern world. It has messed with the simple act of meeting strangers.
PS. Isn't it kind of ironic that I don't even drink coffee?
4 comments:
while it's true that you never know what kinda strange psychos you can meet out there in the street, i suppose i don't really see the harm in having a harmless coffee with a guy in a public place. but of 'coz i have to find him attractive to begin with. so it was just this particular guy that creeped you out a lil.
If a puppy started following me on my way home from work, I would be down. Strange man on the street?
No.
No no no.
No no no no no.
Your initial reaction to any experience is usually the correct one.
I agree with Rufus, good call on your part for not going out with him. He seemed a little too forward and that can be creepy. But the conversation was funny just the same, it's not everyday random people come up and ask you out.
This happened to me once at a concert. It was a small outdoor one and I was just sitting on the grass when this random guy sat down beside me, held out his hand and said "hi". And he said something else but I don't remember what. It was so out of nowhere that I basically told him to go away. Maybe I shouldn't have but I don't like it when random people come up to me with the intention of asking out and I don't even know them.
Anyway, it's true. Such is the modern world. Nobody trusts anybody.
I don't trust pushy men. The kind of person who feels entitled to walk up to a complete stranger and not only *ask* her to get coffee but also push and push is going to act very pushy and entitled about a lot of other things. You did well to steer clear of him. It would be different if he said "hey, would you like to get a cup of coffee? No? Alright, just thought I'd ask. Here's my number, just in case you change your mind." That's much more respectful - it gives *you* the power to initiate any further contact without pressuring you or demanding that you "trust" him.
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