Saturday, September 24, 2005

Bo.

So I had a very interesting experience. In my 4 months of stay here, I've met different kinds of people. From the typical clingy American kid who thinks one date is a promise of forever, to the over-friendly Indian in the train who seems to want to find out every single detail of my life, to the nice barista who gives drink upgrades on Fridays, and of course, who can forget the nice Filipino taxi driver named Hernan? But the person I met last Thursday was the most interesting (and creepy) one yet.

While walking along market on my way to the dance studio in mission, I felt someone staring me down. There's a difference between looking/glancing at people and staring, and I could feel his eyes just looking at me intently. Being the person I am (and a lot of people can attest to this, because when I walk around, I never look at people. I dunno why, I just tend to focus on my destination. I don't try to look around for people I know. Anyway.) I ignored him and looked straight ahead, walking towards the closed pathway by the street. And then I heard it.

"Hey baby. Can I talk to you?"

So I walk faster. I tune out his words and I hold onto my bag tightly and pray that the mace in my pocket is enough to keep would-be snatchers away. But wait. Did I mention that this dude was walking his bike when I saw him, and now he was following me down the closed pathway, now on his bike?

"Hey. Can I talk to you for a minute? Would you go out with me?"

This goes on for a few seconds, and I ignore it for a while. But finally exasperated and holding onto the mace in my pocket, which is fortunately not on lock mode, I don't stop walking but turn to him and say with an apologetic smile on my face, thinking that my words would shoo him away.

"I'm sorry, but I already have a boyfriend."

And (not surprisingly) he says

"Well he don't gotta know..."

At this point, I'm still totally creeped out but it strikes me how surreal the situation is. I swear, those were his exact words. He looked like some latino dude from the ghetto (and so now I take it back, not all latinos are hot) who wasn't exactly ugly, but normal looking. I dunno, you know what I mean.

"Well, I would know, and it ain't gonna happen."

Hahahahahahahaha!!! Yes. Those were my exact words too. I am soo feeling ghetto. But the words just came out! I wasn't thinking!

"Come on. Please? What's your name?"

My mind races. I'm thinking he's just a harmless guy who's never seen a Filipina before, so I debate in my head whether I should say anything or just scream and run away.

"My name's Mary." Which is actually true.

He stops his bike, sticks out his hand (gasp!) for a handshake saying

"My name is Bo. Well I do hope we can meet again someday Mary."

He had this sincere look on his face, kind of sleepy/wistful looking eyes, the kind that would normally make me go awwww, but in this case... Well, no.

I shake his hand and say, "Um. Okay." And walk away quickly, not looking back. I could still feel him looking, but after a while, I hear the sound of the bike against the gravel, and thankfully he's going the opposite direction, and he never bugs me again.

Whataday. Hahahahahaha!

......

I just started one of my dance workshops yesterday! It's called elektra modern funk. astig noh? and tomorrow i'm starting my hiphop jazz workshop. after 10 weeks, we're gonna have a performance so yay! i'm gonna get to perform again! :)

eL's thoughts @ 11:29 AM
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