09/29/08 08:03 - ID#45851

Home Depot Weirdness

My niece moved back to Buffalo after 8 years in NYC over the weekend. She's living in a beautiful apartment over on Linwood (near Utica) with 2 of her friends. (I told her she should check out this site.) As a coming home/house-warming gift to her, I took her shopping yesterday to get some essentials and some basic things that she wanted. We went to Home Depot to pick up a few things and while we were there, a guy who worked there actually tried to pick her up. Now, I will be the first one to say my niece is beautiful with a very interesting look. She designs a lot of her own clothing and has a very unique, funky style. She is stunning. So, this brings me back to the HD guy. I've gotta give the guy credit for having big enough ones to actually make the advance, even if it was a little weird since it probably looked like she was there with her mother and little sister (me & my teen daughter), but she is, nonetheless, way out of his league. She, however, was kind and politely tried to tell him that she wasn't interested and had just ended a long-term relationship that didn't go well, at which point she then walked away. Lo, and behold, before we could exit the store he again came up to her, while we were in the check-out, and did the: "hey, I would really like to see you, and here's my number" thing. Now I'm not sure, but besides just being inappropriate, I think he was actually a little closer to my age than hers - which made it even more wierd for her. After we left, she was a little creeped out and I don't think she'll be going into Home Depot again anytime soon - at least not without a male companion. Weird! We did get some nice paint though.

tinypliny writes at 08:23:27 10/01/08 - Comment #39466: I would be creeped out as well. Sometimes, I am really thankful that I look like my avatar. :D

gardenmama writes at 03:13:55 10/01/08 - Comment #39425: I by no means was suggesting a lawsuit, simply pointing out that there are people out there crazy enough to pursue one. This man approached someone and was, at the least, irritatingly persistent, whithout having any idea who she was or how she might react. And no, my niece was not assuming she was better than the guy, for a number of reasons she just wasnâ€™t interested. He should have taken the hint after she POLITELY said no the first time. Woe be those guys who donâ€™t believe that no means no. And even with the persistence, she still was not rude. Later she said even though it was creepy, he at least was polite didn't act like a total douche bag. As for her going off on the Amvets guy, her response was totally appropriate considering the man was snapping his fingers and whisteling at her trying to get her attention (hello, sheâ€™s not a dog), and when she chose not to respond, he grabbed her shoulder to get her attention. Under those circumstances, no, I donâ€™t believe telling him off was really â€œshocking behaviorâ€.

joshua writes at 09:23:31 10/01/08 - Comment #39413: That is creepy, but let's stifle the crazy suggestion about a sexual harassment lawsuit. That is absolutely, positively ridiculous. Woe be to those who approach a girl who thinks she is better than most guys!

Incidentally this is why I don't bother to date ANY girls in Buffalo. I don't have time for that immaturity, and believe me, Buffalo is packed to the rafters with girls with oversized attitude. I'm sure your niece is a fine young lady, but snapping on someone that would approach her is shocking behavior for any human being, full stop.

gardenmama writes at 07:07:36 09/30/08 - Comment #39395: I tried to tell her she should go get some free stuff but she said that wasn't funny. Anyway, it might not have been so bad if he'd just taken the very polite no thanks my niece gave him and left it alone. That he came back and tried again was kind of pushing his luck. He's actually pretty lucky she didn't go off on him at that point as she's been known to do that when men approach her in some stupid way. She totally blasted some guy in Amvets once who laid some really stupid, incredibly obnoxious line on her.

metalpeter writes at 06:39:22 09/30/08 - Comment #39391: Well if she would have touched his shoulder and winked and taken his number and went to the department he works in to check out she could have gotten a mega discount, HA. I don't know the guy so I can't say if it is creepy or or not. But what happened happens in reverse a lot that customers hit on the help so why not a little bit of the other way around, hey some chicks like older guys and some like younger so why not go for it. On a side note if she is hot hook me up with her, ha. I don't see how hitting on someone could be sexual Harrasement if it is kept clean and friendly. But I so get why she could be freaked out by it also.

hodown writes at 02:13:31 09/30/08 - Comment #39383: There have been a ton of studies on this. Dudes always think they can get the hot girl no matter who they are.

gardenmama writes at 08:25:13 09/29/08 - Comment #39365: Yeah, I thought about the work thing too. It could kind of be a law suit waiting to happen - sexual harrassment sort of thing. My niece isn't like that but people sue for less (and win) all the time.

paul writes at 08:10:41 09/29/08 - Comment #39362: Wow that is crazy. You would think it would be so risky for him to do that at work. Hope she starts a journal. It would be fun to have some more Linwoodians ;)