i just wait for friday afternoons when i can take the flowers from our reception area.
a funny story. i got propositioned twice today.
this morning on the subway ride to work, a young man, very well-dressed, started talking to me. it happened that i went to work much later than my usual later :-) so that the free morning paper that has my favourite combination of crossword and sudoku puzzles had all been taken, ergo, i was sitting on the ride just looking around, so tempted to take out my camera and shoot all the peeps on the train that were real characters. my upbringing was that it is rude to ignore people when they are talking to you so i went along with what i thought was small talk - weather, traffic, news. when we reached the interchange station, the young man asked if we could have coffee so we could know each other better and that he really, really liked me. if i was young and stupid i'd probably had fallen for it, but, i still haven't coloured my hair so it's quite obvious to anyone and to this young man that i might just be as old as his grandmother. i get insulted with propositions like this. i checked how i looked when i got to work, and no, i didn't think i look stupid. so it puzzles me where the darn thing was coming from.
then tonight, i went to the football field in the hope i'd get those dark clouds made gorgeously reddish by the setting sun. on the train, again, an older man, i'd say about close to 40, asked if he could come with me. i gave him a puzzled look and he pointed to my tripod. "you're headed somewhere to take photographs, aren't you? can i join you?" i asked if he had a camera and that the football field was free for everyone to take pictures of. he said he's not interested in photography but he's interested in me. so i had to change where i had to go just so i could avoid him. he followed me when i took a bus; thankfully, the bus driver was quite smart when i made facial gestures at him about the man behind me. the driver talked to me about some stupid things which made it look and sound like we knew each other. the man got off after two stops, crossed the road and took a bus going back towards the station. the driver dropped me off at a stop where a bus was waiting and was destined for another station.
when i told partner about these strange events, he said he didn't know whether he should feel proud or pissed. i said he had better be feeling pissed. because i was pissed. then he said maybe i ate something different today, and i said i did. what? i ate a whole bag of barbeque potato chips - kettle cooked! and i drank a whole can of seven-up! and he said "yes, that's strange!" because he had never seen or known me eat chips or drink soda pop.
what do these stories got to do with the photo of the fresh cut flowers? nothing. just making conversation, you know!
Oh my lord what a day, freaky!!! Some days just make you wonder if all has gone loopy in the world. Glad to hear the bus driver understood the situation and helped you out.
Well first off the flowers are beautiful. I have to say those two stories really are a bit on the creepy side. Glad nothing came of them and you are okay
These sort of experiences help you practice the off putting mode! I would have got scared at the second one but you did the right thing! The first one may have wanted to talk to you about a problem but probably not. Whats that movie "Mrs Robinson"!
Wow, what a day. The second msn would definitely have had me worried. I'm pleased you were able to get the bus driver to react and help you out of a potential predicament. Just shows how careful we all need to be. I'd say you deserve a $20 bunch of flowers for getting through the day you had!
It puts you off talking to men on trains and buses if they are going to act like that! Glad you were ok. When I go to see my family in London next week on the train, I'll keep my nose in my book! The flowers look lovely.
there are younger men who truly find women who are older very attractive. not hard to understand in your case, as you are an attractive woman, as well as being articulate and intelligent.
btw - the photo is smashing!
Always an emotional call ...should you be flattered or alarmed ..well lets believe they were both honourable men and i would go with the flattery,Lovely shot of the flowers.
the younger man i would not have been too worried about - the older one, thank goodness the bus driver was on the ball. you never can tell and always better to be safe thank sorry and so glad you are safe. great shot!
@sianipops - thank you, nia. i mouthed "help me" and my eyes were desperately "pointing" behind me. the bus driver was one of those jolly type folk and boy, was i glad my facial expressions were convincing enough. as for the reception flower, i got pre-empted this week. i think some people had tuned in so now they "book" the flowers ahead of time. but i have a solution to that. hehehe!
@bkbinthecity - thank you, brian. i'm more glad than anyone else.
@cheribug - thank you, my cheribug. there was no mistaking the facial expressions i think my eyeballs almost fell off from too much motioning.
@maggiemae - mrs. robinson in the graduate? hahaha! don't think so.
@salza - in this day and age, we all need to be careful. sad, but it's now a fact of life. thank you, sally.
@claireuk - yes, it was expensive to buy it from the florist. much cheaper to buy it from a convenience store. thank you, claire.
@678tabby - oh, you're going on a trip! photo op!! thank you, june.
@steeler - somehow, i feel more pissed than flattered, mind you. :-) thank you, howard.
@atooner - hahaha! it's like an old car, all waxed and shiny, but the motor parts are all in need of replacements. thank you, amy.
@catsmeowb - thank you, camille. yes, the older man was a bit disconcerting. but you never know, if both of them were really up to know good, chances are they may have some kind of accomplices.
sadly, around here, there are a lot of people who have been victimized by fraudsters. most of them are female senior citizens, and mostly they are practically alone so they are the most vulnerable. the main modus operandi is to befriend them, make them feel good, to gain their confidence. coupled that with the fact that our laws are so screwed up around here that criminals, rapists, abusers and the like, can go scot free and victimize more people because the public is not alerted when these types are released on parole. not being discriminatory or racist, but as Toronto is a melting pot of different cultures, we sadly have people who think that they can bring to this country their attitude towards women. i do not dispute that there are young men who are genuinely attracted to older women, just like younger women are also attracted to older men. i am a realist however. no such thing for me at this age. thank you, folks, for your wonderful support and comments.
@summerfield I feel bad that I did not read far enough on this post.. After your reply, I read it all the way.. WOW, what is up with these guys, granted you are a nice looking lady, but really !!!!! That is awful bold of these people. You did the right thing, I am very proud of the way you handled this. Good job my friend
August 18th, 2013
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btw - the photo is smashing!
@bkbinthecity - thank you, brian. i'm more glad than anyone else.
@cheribug - thank you, my cheribug. there was no mistaking the facial expressions i think my eyeballs almost fell off from too much motioning.
@maggiemae - mrs. robinson in the graduate? hahaha! don't think so.
@salza - in this day and age, we all need to be careful. sad, but it's now a fact of life. thank you, sally.
@claireuk - yes, it was expensive to buy it from the florist. much cheaper to buy it from a convenience store. thank you, claire.
@678tabby - oh, you're going on a trip! photo op!! thank you, june.
@eniaral - hahaha! why, thank you, laraine.
@steeler - somehow, i feel more pissed than flattered, mind you. :-) thank you, howard.
@atooner - hahaha! it's like an old car, all waxed and shiny, but the motor parts are all in need of replacements. thank you, amy.
@catsmeowb - thank you, camille. yes, the older man was a bit disconcerting. but you never know, if both of them were really up to know good, chances are they may have some kind of accomplices.
@lafish - thank you, laurie.
@sarasdadandmom - thank you, terry.
sadly, around here, there are a lot of people who have been victimized by fraudsters. most of them are female senior citizens, and mostly they are practically alone so they are the most vulnerable. the main modus operandi is to befriend them, make them feel good, to gain their confidence. coupled that with the fact that our laws are so screwed up around here that criminals, rapists, abusers and the like, can go scot free and victimize more people because the public is not alerted when these types are released on parole. not being discriminatory or racist, but as Toronto is a melting pot of different cultures, we sadly have people who think that they can bring to this country their attitude towards women. i do not dispute that there are young men who are genuinely attracted to older women, just like younger women are also attracted to older men. i am a realist however. no such thing for me at this age. thank you, folks, for your wonderful support and comments.