My New Friend

I just have to tell you about this interesting experience I had last week when I took my brother to his doctor's appt. at Harborview Hospital. Now Harborview is the hospital where they send people that don't have insurance. I have seen so many homeless and "not quite right" people ever since we started this ordeal. Anyway, we get to Eddie's appt. and Gabe starts fussing and wanting out of the stroller so I decided to go walk around with him while Eddie is seeing the doctor. I got some food and something to drink at this little stand they have and we go to this sitting area where you can look out the windows to occupy Gabe. When we were about to head back and man comes up to me and says he has to use the restroom and doesn't want to carry all his stuff with him. He had a briefcase, a bag, and a big drinking bottle that looked to have coffee in it. He asked if he could set his stuff at my table while he went. I said sure and he noticed I was pregnant so he asked what I was having and if it was a boy or girl and when it was due. I told him and he asked what sign she was going to be. I told him I honestly don't know. He seemed surprised and said, "Oh, do you not believe in that. Are you a Christian?" I said I was and I just didn't really know anything about that stuff. He wasn't rude just seemed really curious. He had an accent and introduced himself. His name was Marek. He said it was Polish, which made me say, "Oh, my dad's family was from Poland." He looked at Gabe and said, "What is your husband? Obviously not African American." I told him Norwegian and he asked if he was Norwegian Jew. I said no and thought what an odd question. Well, let me tell you. It was not the first odd question. This guy was not afraid to ask me anything. All of that was before he even left for the restroom. While he was gone I was like, "Should I keep talking to this guy? I've told him I'm a Christian so I don't want to seem like a snob. I want to be friendly. I'll just be careful and not tell him too much and make sure he doesn't follow me or anything." Plus, I was actually very curious about him. So, he came back and kept on asking me questions. What does my husband do? What do I have a degree in? How old am I, How old is my husband. How long have I been married. Where did I go to college. I was pretty vague with my answers. No last names, exact birthdates or the name of the town we live in or the name of the camp. When he found out I lived in California he mentioned that he lived in San Francisco in the late 60's and in his words NOT mine this is what he said. "This was before San Francisco became sleezy with all the faggots and dikes and transvestites. It was just us weird hippies." I was so shocked that he said that! Then I told him that my dad was a hippy too and we found out that they are just two years apart. Then he started asking about my mom and if my parents were together. I eventually told him that she was in prison for drugs. He asked what kind and when I told him methamphetamines, he said, "Oh so her skin is all bad and she has bad teeth huh?" I said ya and he responded, "So she wouldn't be for me then." Hmm, that's a weird thing to say. Then he asked where I live and I told him about an hour away. I am not kidding, he asked me next, "Are there any single women where you live?"
"No." I say. He looks at me funny. "All my friends are married." Ding Ding bells going off in my head now. Luckily Gabe started fussing and I said I better go.
He says, "O.k., would you like my number?"
"Uhhh, no that's alright."
I then realized that we are going to the same elevators so I go into this other area to just wait a while so he doesn't know where I am going. Luckily my brother was done and found me while I was hiding in Radiology.
Isn't that a funny story. I've never answered so many questions with the words "umm" at the beginning. I was always so taken aback though that I needed a second before I could answer. I didn't feel threatened though just amused. He wasn't that big and I figured I could take him. When I told Eric he laughed and congratulated me on getting hit on. I tried to explain to him that he wanted a single woman not me but all Eric heard was that he asked if I wanted his number. For some reason Eric didn't feel threatened or jealous. Hmmm, I wonder why.