So as I was Saying
The other day, a friend was telling me about his adventures at a recent bowling tournament. We had a laugh over it, and it got to thinking about an experience that I had at one many years ago. This is one for the 'people are strange' file.
The tournament was in a town out in the middle of cornfield somewhere. It was about two hours from my house, and the epitome of rural America. You can see nothing everywhere there. I was set to bowl at three o'clock in the afternoon. We got there about one or so, and stopped into the lounge, to 'lighten the mood.' There was a young waitress in there, who was working the event. She was a college student, good looking girl, and was doing a good job serving the thirsty bowlers. Table to table with a smile on her face, and beer in her hand. Basically, playing up to her crowd, which basically was chubby, middle aged bowlers. They were filling up her tip jar very quickly.
There was this one fellow in our group, who was ten years or or so older than most of us, and a very strange guy. He was a great bowler, but you really didn't want to spend too much time with him as he was way out there. Well, he took one look at this waitress and thought she was the one. He started following her all over the place, jabbering like a Chatty Cathy doll on Christmas morning.
She was nice enough to him, just trying to buck or two out of him. But he wasn't taking it that way. He thought that there was something going on between them, which of course there wasn't. It was almost embarrassing.
Now, I know that this is serious issue in society. Young girls stalked by an older man who knows no boundaries, is a bad deal, all the way around. In fairness to the waitress, she did know how to deal with people like this. She wasn't getting personal with him, nor was she alone with him for any period time. Just serve him one, and take his money.
What made it so ironic, was she was in her early twenties, and attractive. He was in his early 60's and with very few redeeming qualities. When we saw what he was up to, it was like 'C'mon man. Leave her alone.'
So about an hour into the tournament, he comes up to me with a request. "Jeff, I need a favor." "Oh yea, Bill, what can I do for you." So he said "Tonight, can I borrow your car? I have a date tonight." I felt like the baby on the E-trade commercial ("Do you want to see my surprised face?"). My first response was, "With whom?"
To which he responds, "her" and points to the waitress. Since I am a reporter, the next question was only too obvious, "Her? Does she know it?" His response proved to me how strange he really was. "No, but she will. There was a look between us. She feels it. I know she does." I almost thought he was kidding.
Of course she didn't feel anything, or want to go one any kind of a date with him. But that didn't stop our guy, as kept following her around, and she kept ignoring him. And it would have ended when we were done bowling, but it didn't. Since this was a small town at the end of the world, there was very little to do once the event was over. So for entertainment, the entire town went to the only bar in the county. That night it was full of bowlers (us), and local people. Our waitress friend was there that night with a group of her friends.
When we walked into the place, she greeted us, and we all enjoyed ourselves and had a nice time. Bill, who obviously didn't need my car, was continuing what he started that day. Just following her around, and making a pest of himself.
Finally about midnight, Bill told us he was done and was going home. When I asked if the two of them needed a ride (by now, she hadn't said a word to him since about none thirty pm), he declined and said there was a problem. "Oh, what would that be, Bill." His response was classic. "My ex-wife's cousin, next door neighbor, knows her aunt. If it got out about me and her, it wouldn't be a good thing." I'm not sure what all that meant, but he may have been right.
I shot the waitress a glace, and raised a glass, which she returned. Got to give her credit, she did know how to handle that kind of thing, with those kind of guys.
As far as Bill goes, he went with us to a few more bowling tournaments, and tried again to chase a few waitresses. He never 'caught' any, and I don't think he has had a 'date' since the Eisenhower administration. The thing is, I kind of feel sorry for the guy, as he really is just lonely. But that doesn't give him a pass to make a fool out of himself.
Back tomorrow with another Person of the Week
We will talk soon
Jeff
The tournament was in a town out in the middle of cornfield somewhere. It was about two hours from my house, and the epitome of rural America. You can see nothing everywhere there. I was set to bowl at three o'clock in the afternoon. We got there about one or so, and stopped into the lounge, to 'lighten the mood.' There was a young waitress in there, who was working the event. She was a college student, good looking girl, and was doing a good job serving the thirsty bowlers. Table to table with a smile on her face, and beer in her hand. Basically, playing up to her crowd, which basically was chubby, middle aged bowlers. They were filling up her tip jar very quickly.
There was this one fellow in our group, who was ten years or or so older than most of us, and a very strange guy. He was a great bowler, but you really didn't want to spend too much time with him as he was way out there. Well, he took one look at this waitress and thought she was the one. He started following her all over the place, jabbering like a Chatty Cathy doll on Christmas morning.
She was nice enough to him, just trying to buck or two out of him. But he wasn't taking it that way. He thought that there was something going on between them, which of course there wasn't. It was almost embarrassing.
Now, I know that this is serious issue in society. Young girls stalked by an older man who knows no boundaries, is a bad deal, all the way around. In fairness to the waitress, she did know how to deal with people like this. She wasn't getting personal with him, nor was she alone with him for any period time. Just serve him one, and take his money.
What made it so ironic, was she was in her early twenties, and attractive. He was in his early 60's and with very few redeeming qualities. When we saw what he was up to, it was like 'C'mon man. Leave her alone.'
So about an hour into the tournament, he comes up to me with a request. "Jeff, I need a favor." "Oh yea, Bill, what can I do for you." So he said "Tonight, can I borrow your car? I have a date tonight." I felt like the baby on the E-trade commercial ("Do you want to see my surprised face?"). My first response was, "With whom?"
To which he responds, "her" and points to the waitress. Since I am a reporter, the next question was only too obvious, "Her? Does she know it?" His response proved to me how strange he really was. "No, but she will. There was a look between us. She feels it. I know she does." I almost thought he was kidding.
Of course she didn't feel anything, or want to go one any kind of a date with him. But that didn't stop our guy, as kept following her around, and she kept ignoring him. And it would have ended when we were done bowling, but it didn't. Since this was a small town at the end of the world, there was very little to do once the event was over. So for entertainment, the entire town went to the only bar in the county. That night it was full of bowlers (us), and local people. Our waitress friend was there that night with a group of her friends.
When we walked into the place, she greeted us, and we all enjoyed ourselves and had a nice time. Bill, who obviously didn't need my car, was continuing what he started that day. Just following her around, and making a pest of himself.
Finally about midnight, Bill told us he was done and was going home. When I asked if the two of them needed a ride (by now, she hadn't said a word to him since about none thirty pm), he declined and said there was a problem. "Oh, what would that be, Bill." His response was classic. "My ex-wife's cousin, next door neighbor, knows her aunt. If it got out about me and her, it wouldn't be a good thing." I'm not sure what all that meant, but he may have been right.
I shot the waitress a glace, and raised a glass, which she returned. Got to give her credit, she did know how to handle that kind of thing, with those kind of guys.
As far as Bill goes, he went with us to a few more bowling tournaments, and tried again to chase a few waitresses. He never 'caught' any, and I don't think he has had a 'date' since the Eisenhower administration. The thing is, I kind of feel sorry for the guy, as he really is just lonely. But that doesn't give him a pass to make a fool out of himself.
Back tomorrow with another Person of the Week
We will talk soon
Jeff
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