Thursday, June 05, 2008

While we are at it... can I tell you one more??

This was about a year ago when I was on my way to Delhi from Mumbai. Was travelling alone, decided to fly. Was sitting at the airport, when a huge African man came and sat next to me.

For quite some time he was busy on his laptop. And I was busy reading the newspaper. Typically I am a person who is ery fond of interacting with people from differentcultures, especially foreigners. But this guy looked so formidable, I kept my distance. I had no previous experience in interacting with Africans.

Then suddenly this guy turned to look at me and said Hi. I greeted him back. And then, you guessed it right, the weird conversation started.

WG: Hello
Me: hi!
WG: I am xyz (it was a very very weird name, something I could not pronounce, and I dont remember now!)
Me: I am Aditi.
WG: So where r u going?
Me: Im off to Delhi.
WG: oh (with a disappointed look) im going to bangalore.
Me: ok..
WG: So what do you do?
Me: I am a student, just graduated from MBA school, about to start working.
WG: ok where did you study?
Me: In Ahmedabad.
WG: I go there for work. I am from xyz (i do not remember which country he was from in Africa..) I come to India frequently for work. Every month. We deal in tiles and cement work etc. There are many companies in Gujarat with whom we work.
Me: ok thats nice.
(For some reason he gave me the creeps, so I started to feel uncomfortable... trying to smile while looking out for another empty seat..)
WG:Hmmm.... So.. Aditi... are you married?
Me: (I was right! What a jerk!) What? N... no.. Im not... Uh... Why? (I was taken aback, a little embarassed and worried where the hell such a question come from?)
WG: Just like that (with a grin... a nasty grin at that!)...
So why dont you give me your number?
Me: Uh I dont have a mumbai number...
WG: then take down my number... why dont u give me a call when you are back? We should meet up....
(I just did not know what to do. I just took his no. And suddenly, thank god, they announced the departure of his flight!)
WG: Oh I have to go... Seeya Aditi!! (Wink and smile)
Me: (looking shocked! but happy to see him go) Bye!

Gosh! I felt so weird! I am sure that if that guy had tried to shake hands or somethin I would have shouted for security... that guy had me freaked out!!
I am not someone who usually has prejudices about how people from a certain culture behave. In fact I have usually seen foreigner tourists as warm and friendly, and much more open about chatting up all kinds of people without hangups.
But frankly this guy's behaviour... the look in his eyes and the tone of his voice, was definitely inappropriate. This experience will now make me think twice before I talk to a single foreigner guy again!

8 comments:

the lazy knight said...

Somehow men just cannot resist the 'Give me your number/ Here is my number' line can they? :)Plenty of creeps roaming all around...though the funny part is we always give the benefit of doubt to a stranger..and start making polite conversation when they do initiate...and then this happens :)

Sugar & Spice said...

Lazy knight: i know!! so true!!

Yashika Totlani Khanna said...

cant help ourselves from making polite conversation, can we? iv tried dropping some nasty clues inbetween... but some guys just refuse to give up! 'man'kind :P

p.s. next time some freak asks you if you're married, try saying yes :)

Sugar & Spice said...

@yashika... yep! thats d only thing to do!!

AshenGlow said...

kyaa re... jabse tum mumbai gayi ho na jaane kese kese logon se paala pad raha he...
wait till i get there and take their case....
:)

love,
ashen...

Sugar & Spice said...

thanks lekha...
given ur reputation for putting people in place, even if it means slapping them in teh middle of college courtyard in front of everyone, i feel secure that ur gonna take these peopl to task for me :)

Anonymous said...

LOL

Sugar & Spice said...

@burf.... :)