There's a guy in my building I have christened The Saddest Boy in the World because, well, he is. He's 40+, currently unemployed, shoulders all the responsibility for his mother, a stroke victim who was unpleasant when she was well.
He's long had a crush on me, which has always made me uncomfortable. For example, one evening, as I was moving my clothes to the dryers from the washers he was waiting to use, he asked me what I did for a living. I told him I was a writer. Thirty mins. later, when we were both down there again to retrieve my clothes, he brought a 20-year old compilation from a local poetry contest. He was a runner up and he read his poem to me. It was a sweet, touching and profoundly embarrassing moment.
Well, that's all over now. I have seen him twice lately, and both times he has gone out of his way to make sure I saw he was on his cell phone, in a conversation he just couldn't interrupt to speak to me.
Good for him! I hope he's happy, and less lonely.
I remember this laundry story! The poem..it was sad and sweet at the same time. Glad the awkwardness is over for you.
ReplyDeleteYay, good luck to him!
ReplyDeleteOoo - maybe he's found himself an appropriate love interest that he's yakking to on his phone now! I do remember the poetry incident. He thought you were one hot cougar.
ReplyDeleteSo glad the sad poet is avoiding you.
ReplyDelete