Mr. Walmart

This last week at work I was on my way back to my office from the gym. Right before I was going to walk into the building this guy walks by. He was waving at me saying hi, so I waved and said hi back. I had seen him around the office before... stalking the break rooms and such. I thought he was just waving at me and being friendly, but then he said..

Mr. Walmart - "Hi, excuse me"
Me - "Hi"
Mr. Walmart - "I was just wondering if you remember me?"
Me - "Umm.. well yeah, I have seen you around the office"
Mr. Walmart - "No... a while ago, I stopped you at Walmart, do you remember that?"

All of the sudden I had a flashback....

It was almost 2 years ago. I was making a late night trip to Walmart. On my way in, a guy passed by me and went out the door and then came back in and stopped me. He told me he didn't want to freak me out, but asked if we could be friends. How do you respond to that? I told him.. sure, we can be friends. Then he wanted me phone number. I told him I don't give my phone number to strangers. He asked if he could have my email address. I said sure, so I gave him my email address that my junk goes to and then he said thanks and he was on his way and I was on my way. I thought it was strange. I even blogged about it here. However, I never got an email from him and I totally forgot about this ever happening... until now.

Me - "Wow... that was a long time ago"
Mr. Walmart - "Yeah, I never emailed you because I was nervous of how you would reply or that you wouldn't reply"

which he is right... I wouldn't have replied.

Mr. Walmart - "Your name is Tracy right?"
Me - "Yep"
Mr. Walmart - "Do you remember my name?"
Me - "Uh... no. That was almost 2 years ago"

He looks disappointed that I didn't remember and then tells me his name again.

Mr. Walmart - "Well, I don't want to come across as a freak but, do you think I could take you out to dinner or a movie sometime? I don't want you to think I'm a freak"

Well... the more you tell me you don't want me to think you are a freak, the more I'm starting to think you are a freak. I give you props for being bold and asking me out... I wish more guys would do that, but you don't even know me and I'm not even a little bit interested in you. This all of course was what I was thinking in my head and not what came out of my mouth. Lets just say that I don't do well when I'm put on the spot and caught off guard.

Me - "Ummm..... I'm coming out of a complicated relationship....so I don't think so.

It was all I could come up with. Why do I have the hardest time saying "No, I'm not interested, but I'm flattered" That shouldn't be that hard right?

Mr. Walmart - "When I realized you worked here, I didn't know if you recognized me and I was afraid to talk to you because you were going to judge me on the job that I have here."

Me - "I'm not shallow, but no I didn't recognize you. Like I said, it was almost 2 years ago"

Now I'm thinking... wow, this guy has known who I am this entire time and been watching me around work... remembers my name and hasn't said anything until now. It was all starting to weird me out... like a lot.

Mr Walmart - "Umm... well like I don't want to sound like a freak or have you take this the wrong way... but you should smile more. One of the reasons I was afraid to talk to you is because you always look so serious. Don't get me wrong, you are really pretty, but you would be more pretty if you smiled more. I'm not trying to be a freak, I'm just making a suggestion"

Me - "Umm... sorry I didn't realize I looked so mad at work? Ha ha... I'm just in the zone at work... but uh, hey... thanks for the suggestion".

Mr. Walmart - "Sorry if I sound like a freak. I'm rambling because I'm nervous right now"

Me - "It's fine"

Really I'm thinking... please stop, this keeps getting more awkward and I just want to get back to work.

Mr. Walmart - "Can I at least say hi to you now at work?

Me - "Yes, of course"

Geez! Weren't we already saying hi? I'm a nice person!

So he left when I finally told him I needed to get back to work. I was hoping this was the only time we would have to have this talk and here on out when I saw him occasionally ... we would say hi and be on our way. Boy did I think wrong...

I ran into him again only a couple days later! This time I was in my work out clothes, ready to go for a run around the outside of the campus. I was walking behind the cafe on my way to the path for my run and then all of the sudden, out pops Mr. Walmart. I waved hello... smiling and being friendly. He smiled and waved back. I looked away and headed out towards the parking lot when I heard...

Mr. Walmart - "Hi, excuse me"
Me -"Hey"
Mr. Walmart - "Umm... I don't want to bug you... that's really not what I want to do or am trying to do, but I didn't feel like you were clear before. Do you have a boyfriend?"

I felt like I was pretty clear by not saying yes to him.

Me - "Yes, I do"

Yeah.... I don't. I just figured if I told him I did he would stop bugging me. Do you think it will work? I sure hope so. I was ready and willing to be friendly and say hi when I saw him. Although I used to rarely see him... now it is like he knows where I am and comes and finds me. NOW... when I see him I cringe and wonder if I can pretend like I didn't see him and somehow avoid him.

Obviously if it happens again, I will have to suck it up and be more blunt. I'm really hoping it doesn't happen again though. I never would have thought that when that guy stopped me in Walmart almost 2 years ago asking to be my friend, that I would run into him again let alone work at the same place.

Welcome to my life. I can't make this stuff up.