June 8, 2004
The Stalker Chronicles, Entry 1/1 (Hopefully)
The question becomes, should I chronicle my stalkers? N. says it's just asking for trouble, but then N. also says that snails talk to her. If I get axe-murdered one night, however, my blood congealing and splattered over the monitor, severed fingers lodged in the keyboard, then at least there'll be an easily available suspect list.
James from Ealing/Stratford sat at a computer four to the right of me. I glanced up at the door when he walked in out of habit, half from boredom, half from MBA paranoia. Maybe he took that as invitation. I studiously refused to respond to an hour's worth of staring, but when he abandoned his station to sprawl in the seat next to mine, to lean in close, he became a little difficult to ignore.
Opening line: "You're very beautiful."
Reponse: mumble, mumble, snort, thank you, mumble.
[reluctant disclosure of degree information, no, I'm not engineering, no, I'm not post-grad]
Then: "Where are you from, originally?"
Response: oh, shit, mumble, London area, mumble
[really, which bit, me too, lobotomise me now, yes, I know you meant which exotic country, but just because you're obviously not caucasian doesn't mean you can ask me about my obviously-not-caucasian]
Then: "What's your name, by the way?"
Response: mumble, how do I get this guy to fuck off, mumble, maybe if I mumble he won't hear and then I won't have had to tell him my name, mumble
Then: "What? Justine?"
Response: damnit, take a hint, no, mumble, [actual name]
Then: "That's a good name, names always reflect who people are."
[line line line, please, dear God, speakeasy muns, message me with explicit slash and scare this guy away, line]
Then: "I'm James."
Response: what? you think I'm going to let you grab my hand? no no no, leave me alone, I hate you already, I'm clutching my mouse in terror for a reason here.
And then he said bye, and then he stroked across my back and down my shoulder before finally leaving.
Posted by Missiedith at June 8, 2004 3:39 AM | TrackBackCreepy! Are there staff around to keep an eye on things?
Perhaps you need a barbed-wire cardigan? Or just to get into the habit of yelling, 'I hate people!' whenever anyone talks to you?
Posted by: iona at June 8, 2004 5:45 AMewwwwww, what a weirdo. tell him to fuck off next time! *tuts* how long would it have taken for you to tell him to go away if he'd started to do something you really didn't like? eh? *nods*
Posted by: nayla at June 8, 2004 6:01 PMyou really need to learn a few subtle ways of saying you are not interested if you don't want to go for a direct 'fuck off' to be spoken as soon as you her the first chat-up line:
I'm here to work not talk to people.
did i say you could talk to me? no. the end.
*look peep up and down in an obvious manner*-sorry love you're not my type.
don't bother, i'm gay.
(if the opening line was a chat up line)- is that the best you can do? am i supposed to be impressed- i don't think so.
of course if you use any of them you get called a bitch but hey, its worth it :D
Pervy bastard. I'll break all 27 bones in his hand.
Posted by: Celia at June 9, 2004 1:30 PMJust tell the guy "thanks, but I'm not interested" and quit mumbling around. All HE's doing is indicating interest, that's how dating works.
By mumbling around vaguely while "working" you've probably left him the impression that maybe you *are* interested. After all, you kept talking to him even though you were clearly very busy, right? Additionally, you didn't respond when he brushed past you on exit. That's a testing move, designed to judge interest. If you had said "hands off Jim, we're not dating" or something similar then he could have responded with a "sorry, just being friendly" or "excuse me" or "Christ you're touchy" (depending on mood).
Unless maybe you might be interested, but you aren't sure yet...which is what it actually sounds like.
At any rate don't bash the guy, he hasn't done anything out of order. 'Doesn't sound perve either unless (not stated in the story) he's either pushing 60, married, unwashed, drunk, a member of your family, combination, etc.
:)
jonathan
*wonders if jonathan is the stalker himself* :D
Posted by: rachel at June 10, 2004 7:45 PM