Strange People

Hola!

So, there are some strraaannnngggeeee people in Granada. Its apparently, common for random guys to team up and try and "take on" mia and i when we go out. Its weird...and its....just weird. During a Holy Week, a good friend of mine was offered some crazy money to be the subject of a "painters" painting...once she told him I was coming, he tried to back out saying that he just works, without bother....so CLEARLY we backed out of that one too...because I mean shady is shady.

Anyhoo, the men here are unneccessarily forward here. Its normal for old men (like 65-65+) to get allll up in my face and say hola guapa, guapa! Like i'm supposed to respond. I like to react with a look of confusion then a quick move to the right followed by a quicker move to the left...their so old and senile, by the time they realize I've gone the other way, I'm normally on my merry way to my destination.

So I had my strangest encounter yet earlier this week...
I'm walking back to the piso from school with my ipod, just JAMMIN to Wale...
I feel this tug on my bag (like a familiar tug by a friend who tried to get your attention but you didn't hear them...) so I turn back, with a smile...

ONLY to see some RANDOM dude that I have NEVER seen before smiling...and who then had the audacity to part his crusted lips and push out his staunch breath and utter the word HOLA.

I looked at him like he was just plain STUPID and told him that I didn't know him. He followed with a Si, you do you know me. I look at him again, just to make sure, grab my bag a little tighter and tell him I have no idea who he is, nor am I interested, so he should just leave me be. Apparently, this is not good enough for him.
He insists that I know him and asks me if I have a white friend. What I WANTED to say was...yyeaaaahhhh i have a white friend, negro! There are only .000048 black people in spain, sooo due to availability...por su puesto...yo tengo!
But instead I told him, that I had no idea what he was talking about and that I had no friends, but again I did not know him so he should leave me alone.
At this point we're halfway to my piso which is about 10 minutes into the walk and I'm realizing that no matter what, this dude is still following, despite my rudeness and demanding that he leave me alone.
Then this dude is like we're all brothers, we can all get along...i was like NOPE you are NOT my brother i don't know you and don't want to. At this point the man is convinced that I'm married, which I tell him that I am....but does that stop him...NO...he presses on.
He asks me if I am in a rush because I'm going to work. I tell him YES, so leave me now. Now....maybe he felt that I was playing hard to get or that I was opening up since I told him I was going to work....but...ole' boy started to get comfortable! Pushin his shoulders back, looking straightforward, instead of at me, takin a deep breath, talking about some...OH iN THAT CASE, I will GO with you and talk to your Boss!
In case the past 15 minutes hadn't indicated it to me....i realized then he was CRAZY...
....and not only that...but he was SERIOUS.
Knowing that the man would continue following me, I dipped into a store. I texted a good friend, waited about 5 minutes and went back out, after peeking in front and not seeing the man...

Sooo...WHY was this man a little ahead of the store but obviously waiting for me to come?!?! Sooo, is this it? No more, I can't walk with you...he attempted to tell me.
But I acted like I had no idea who he was talking to and kept walking. He followed for like a minute but FINALLY got the hint and left.

I walked the whole way back looking back to see if he was following me, but he wasn't and I got home safely. Seriously, if onnnnnneeeeeeeee more creepy man comes up to me, old or young. i WILL go off. Effff the burden. Call me the angry black woman or whatever stereotype fits...the burden of representation has been lifted (by me, myself, and I) in these situations.

Anyhoo look for a post soon on the strange people and observations of Spanairds....

paz