So sorry for the delay in posting...we've had the third death in our immediate family in as many months...need I say more? We'll leave it at that and press on.
The past two weeks have found me working at a local Mall. I've been manning a kiosk and providing Tax Advice. I've loved every minute of it, as I've been meeting some great people, but I've been having way more fun just watching...just observing. A behavioral scientist would have a field day were they to spend a whole day at the Mall.
One or two disturbing things I found out while there...I seem to possess this uncanny ability to attract very young boys...and I do mean boys...and I do mean young...
...I'm talking the under 10 year old crowd....and also...men over 60. And when I say "attract"...I mean, these two age groups make it very clear that they are "interested" in me.
Yesterday, I no sooner finished speaking to someone and as they walked away, I realized they'd been blocking my field of vision into the Victoria's Secret store across from my work area. What I noticed was this young boy....9 years old at the very most...standing near his mom and brother...sort of pitching a fit. He obviously had no desire to tag along behind his mom while she shopped for bras and panties. I stood there, just staring at him and I think I had a smirk on my face as I was enjoying the scene immensely. I can't figure out why a mom would drag her sons into such a humiliating situation. I guess because she was never an 8 or 9 year old boy.
As soon as the lad noticed me watching him, he stopped pitching a fit, smiled a huge smile and winked at me. It was very obviously one of those "hey baby" winks. It took me aback, and I think he enjoyed the fact that it did. He then proceeded to tag along after his mom.
I was once again engaged in a conversation, when the little casanova and his mom and brother exited the store. As he walked in the opposite direction; he fixed his gaze on me and when I caught sight of him; he winked at me again. He amused the hell out of me. I appreciated his unabashed flirting...because he had no filter. He pitched a fit with no filter. He flirted with no filter. He obviously followed whatever notion came to mind. Actually, I think his mind had very little to do with his actions. He did what he's wired to do.
If you know anything about Malls, the mornings find them filled to overflowing (especially in cold weather) with Senior citizens walking the perimeter for exercise. I've found that much older men are a lot like that 8 year old boy in Victoria's Secret...they say what's on their mind....there is no filter.
An older gentleman strode up to me and he did what many men his age do...he invaded my personal "space". He placed his arm around my shoulders and put his face in real close...too close...so close I could see the chunks of food still lodged inbetween the spaces in his false teeth. But, putting that aside...he was rather charming in his own little old man way. He said some very nice things to me. Very forward things, but he knew how to be a gentleman about it.
What I realized later on in the day, when I gave thought to these two incidents...was how that it seems men who are older than 30 and younger than 55...have definitely sort of forgotten how to tap into their once-younger selves and their yet-to-be-old man selves. If a man would merge the two styles, then he would surely project a confidence and a sort of cockiness which is as cute as the 8 year old and as charming as the old man.
to be continued...
