It was a sunny day, not just sunny, but real sunny, hot if you like. I went to the market, just to buy some fresh fish. And I went straight away back home, as soon as possible, as the fish was longing for the fridge.
The streets in Rotterdam city center were empty. People had gone for a holiday break. If not, they were at least checking internet destinations for a virtual escape.
I was about to open the door of my appartment building, when a stranger showed up. He was standing closely behind me and whispered: 'may I ask you something?'
I hadn't seen him, when entering the appartment's area, I hadn't heard his footsteps, I hadn't even noticed his shadow, but yet there was this strange man standing on a short distance. He was a foreigner, probably Arab.
What could be his question? I forgot my fish, I listened. The question came out of the blue. First there was this confession. The man had followed me all around the marketplace, he had waited outside the bakery as well, he wanted to find my home. O my gosh, an instant-stalker! And now he was here to ask one important question: If we could be together, to go out, to have a drink somewhere.
What to do? Just to shout and say: 'clear out!!' was too dangerous. In Holland there is this anti-discrimination-law - he could go to court and claim discrimination by being rejected because of being an Arab, even if this was not my reason at all.
So I decided to stay polite and to thank him for the compliment. Unfortunately I was not able to accept his invitation.
This 'no' meant nothing to him. He did not accept a 'no'. I was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, the way I walked was amazingly sexy, my eyes would be in his dreams for ever, and so on, and so on. After loads of compliments without the wanted result, he did some p.r. for his own: he was a technical engineer, in Holland for 8 years now, very intelligent. He needed an intelligent woman and he knew I was very intelligent too. So I had to accept his invitation.
Again there was my 'no'. I was happily married! I was not looking for some adventure!
Then he started to ask for my favorite pub, my name, my job, anything. I refused to give personal information, I just wanted him to shut up and if he had been just an ordinary Dutch guy I would have said so right away. But unfortunately I couldn't, because of that anti-discrimination-thing. A rather uncomfortable situation.
This little man, half a head smaller than myself, insisted in having a 'yes' he would never get.
Finally I was saved by the dripping fish. I told him that 'indeed, I was a very intelligent woman, and intelligent women know they must give a fridge to freshly bought fish on tropical days', so I had to say 'good bye'. It made some sense to him.
On that very moment a neighbour came along, and I started small talking to him, neglecting the desperate Arab who made one final attempt: he wanted to know my age. In return I asked for his age. He was only 33 years young. Young enough to be my son. I told him so. He couldn't believe it. He cried: 'No..... are you.... 48?!!' And I said, smiling: 'Not even that, I'm much older!' Big eyes stared at me: 'No, no..... you are lying, this is not true!'
Neighbour convinced him it was the truth.
After some silence he turned away, softly saying: 'sorry for bothering you.'
Fortunately the fish was not smelling yet - fish and I could use some refreshments!
