So moving on from that, I love China. I love the fact that most guys are far too shy to approach me. I don't get hassled almost ever, if I do it is someone saying "hello" then giggling incredulously with his friends that I said "hello" back. Very non-threatening, almost amusing some days. Other days I pretend not to hear, or not to speak English. There is a young man named Tommy who lives near Yi Zhong, I guess he thinks he knows me well enough to step up his creepy. Tommy is the young man who last year told me he doesn't like Chinese girls because they only care about money. Michaela bless her heart piped up with "American girls are the same, we only like money." At first I thought it was funny and a little rude. Now I wish I had been a little less nice. He cornered me in a store and asked me,
"We are friends, why I don't have your phone number? why I don't have your qq? Why you and me no go clubby drinky." As I squirmed uncomfortably looking for my usual American standard blow off. "you are my girlfriend.. friend."
"NO, I am not your girlfriend. I have a boyfriend." I said defensively, "I don't like clubby drinky. I have to go." I ran off to the restaurant where I was meeting friends a few store fronts down. I order and sit, who walks up... Tommy. To harrass me once more. To tell me I must like hamburgers, because I am fat. And tell me he doesn't like his mom because she doesn't give him money. "Get a job" I respond. He doesn't get it, luckily Geoff shows up. And the situation melts into the background.
Then I forgot about my troubles as I saw my students playing the most bizarre game that involved making people kiss. As far as I could tell it was elimination rock-paper-scissors. If you lose you go on to the next round, if you lose all the rounds then you have to kiss someone. I fled the room laughing about how crazy my students are.
That night my dear friend Lee called me. He had had a rough day, and was telling me about how he wants to go to America. How he hates his school, and how he thinks they have lied to him. But when he asked about me, I asked him gently. "What do you say to a guy who won't leave you alone?"
He paused. "You tell him to Fuck off. You are too nice, you don't need to be nice to everyone."
This is very true, I wonder if I can be strong enough to say it.
"We are friends, why I don't have your phone number? why I don't have your qq? Why you and me no go clubby drinky." As I squirmed uncomfortably looking for my usual American standard blow off. "you are my girlfriend.. friend."
"NO, I am not your girlfriend. I have a boyfriend." I said defensively, "I don't like clubby drinky. I have to go." I ran off to the restaurant where I was meeting friends a few store fronts down. I order and sit, who walks up... Tommy. To harrass me once more. To tell me I must like hamburgers, because I am fat. And tell me he doesn't like his mom because she doesn't give him money. "Get a job" I respond. He doesn't get it, luckily Geoff shows up. And the situation melts into the background.
Then I forgot about my troubles as I saw my students playing the most bizarre game that involved making people kiss. As far as I could tell it was elimination rock-paper-scissors. If you lose you go on to the next round, if you lose all the rounds then you have to kiss someone. I fled the room laughing about how crazy my students are.
That night my dear friend Lee called me. He had had a rough day, and was telling me about how he wants to go to America. How he hates his school, and how he thinks they have lied to him. But when he asked about me, I asked him gently. "What do you say to a guy who won't leave you alone?"
He paused. "You tell him to Fuck off. You are too nice, you don't need to be nice to everyone."
This is very true, I wonder if I can be strong enough to say it.
No comments:
Post a Comment