I think we all do. I have the face that I use when I have to deal with the public. You know the one, charming and pleasant, helpful, somewhat friendly. Well, that is my job, or at least part of it. I work in the rental office of my apt. complex and have to deal with my neighbours all of the time.
My other face is the one I try to portray here. I say try, because I am not a very good writer and don't know how well I do at conveying my
self. I am friendly - to an extent. I am helpful when I can be. I do
try to not be a bitch, but
my that is hard sometimes! I don't really like a lot of people, I never have.
I was very hesitant taking the job, I don't really want to know all of my neighbours. I like to keep to myself and now, I may have to move! We'll see if this guy turns into a stalker, or if he takes the hint.
He is a new tenant that moved in a couple of months ago and up until two weeks ago, he had been dealing with the manager. Well, he came into the office while I was working one evening to get information and I was my usual charming self. Short of being rude, I couldn't get him to leave after I gave him the information. No big deal, the job is rarely busy enough that I can't chat for a few minutes.
He apparently spoke to the boss the next day and then came back the following evening to drop off the forms. Again, short of being downright rude, he wouldn't leave. He lives in my bldg - one floor up and one suite over from me!
Two days later, I am out with Sibu taking pictures and watering my pots (I have poppies that have re-seeded themselves) when he pops out on his balcony and starts to talk to me. Fine, he'll just say hello, how's it going and go away. No such luck. I was taking pictures and trying to ignore him and he just kept chattering along. He has a beautiful dark grey Persian cat, so I took a picture of it. Then made my escape inside.
The next day or so, I was working on the pictures and decided that I would see how this printer does printing out photos, by using his cat's photos. That way I wouldn't be as disappointed as if it were something I wanted for myself. Then, I made the mistake of giving them to him. Well, he had to come down and get them, rather than letting me hand them up over the balcony. That way, he could give me a hug. Remember when I said I don't like people? I
really don't like touchy-feel-y people! Our family are not big huggers, I do hug family and some friends though. Then he had to touch my arm (the one in the lympho sleeve) to ask how it was. WTF?
I couldn't get rid of him, again! I thought, well, if I start digging weeds, he will go.....no, he had to get down beside me and help. So, then I had to offer him water, I think that is the first time water has passed his lips without scotch to chase in a long time. About this time, I am getting a bit beyond irritated, so I decide well, if I water my plants he will go. No, he had to stand right beside me, while I was watering, making silly remarks about how I had better not splash him. Then the dip-shit, because I hadn't taken him up on splashing him, decided he should get me wet. What, are you 12?
I was telling the boss this a few days later....she told me that he was asking her all kinds of questions about me and that he thought "we made a real connection". Oh GREAT! So, far, every time I have gone outside, he has popped up on his balcony, now if only I had a big stick, we could play "Whack-a-mole".
Seriously though,
I don't want to spend my entire summer inside! I am going to have to make a roof/cover for my swing so I can at least sit out there without having him staring at me. I have ignored him twice now and if I have to I will just be rude. I think he was trying to get my attention last night when I was out talking to friends, by whistling, the short noise you would make when trying to get the dogs attention. Uh, if that was him, that is no way to get my attention, I am not a dog and do not respond to whistles. (I am too old to get many wolf whistles these days, so I just assume when I hear one that it is for some young person in the vicinity.)
If necessary, I will pull out the third persona, the one I try to keep buried very deeply. That is the one that can verbally tear you to pieces, make you wish you had never been born, let alone met me. The one that can wither all hope within a 40 miles radius. Okay, so maybe I exaggerate a bit, but, I can certainly make him wish he had chosen somewhere else to live.
I really hope it doesn't come to that, I don't like that I am capable of that kind of meanness. It is a weird kind of comfort knowing that I have that in my defense arsenal though.
I hope everyone has a good stalker free weekend.
