the man in the hat
So, often when I walk to work, as I am going from the subway up the hill to my office, I meet a man coming down the hill. He's always casually dressed and wearing a straw hat and sunglasses. We've taken to smiling at each other and it's like a little bright spot in my morning, since I'm usually running late and in subway mode.
This morning I ran into him at the Second Cup where I was getting tea and a muffin and so we actually spoke to each other briefly and he, unsolicited, gave me his phone number. "669-0700, if you can remember." (I guess I did.)
But now I feel like there are more expectations than just smiling at him in the morning when our paths cross. And instead of that feeling of, "Oh hello nice friendly person" I suddenly have this feeling of being incredibly gendered. Like it's not just friendliness, it's interest and I got no time for that.
Wah wah wah, maybe I should stop complaining that people find me attractive.
I guess what it is is this: I'm not going to call him. And so I don't know what will happen to that nice, brief smile in the morning.
This morning I ran into him at the Second Cup where I was getting tea and a muffin and so we actually spoke to each other briefly and he, unsolicited, gave me his phone number. "669-0700, if you can remember." (I guess I did.)
But now I feel like there are more expectations than just smiling at him in the morning when our paths cross. And instead of that feeling of, "Oh hello nice friendly person" I suddenly have this feeling of being incredibly gendered. Like it's not just friendliness, it's interest and I got no time for that.
Wah wah wah, maybe I should stop complaining that people find me attractive.
I guess what it is is this: I'm not going to call him. And so I don't know what will happen to that nice, brief smile in the morning.