Rubbed the wrong way

I irritate dudes. Let me rephrase that...I irritate certain dudes. I learned that when I visited my hometown this weekend. Especially when the topics of money, accomplishments and expectations come up. Generally, I'm minding my own "self" business when I am asked about my ideas in those areas. Recently, I was asked, hypothetically mind you, what concert tickets I would purchase for myself and this person if we were dating. When I said that I wouldn't purchase tickets, the guy got perturbed. I had already sized him up: played out acid washed jeans, silky-ish shirt, Jeri-curl flat top... he was unemployed. After asking me about my career and getting answers, he played dodgeball when I asked about his. "I've HAD contracts with Sprint and a couple of other telecom companies," he said. Instead of sticking the dagger in and twisting it, I let it slide 'cause I knew what time it was... Garfield(my nickname for him since he had grocery sized bags under his eyes) asked if he could give me his number and I said, "sure." Then he asked if he could call me and I said, "Sure, right after I call you."

It happened again a couple of nights later, at a friend's BBQ. The "Ghetto Astrologer" strolled in, flashing his gold teeth and asking for my "sign." He got frustrated when I told him that a whole new astrology sign had been created just for me upon my birth. He guessed that I was a Leo....WRONG. Negrodamus went on to lament about how I would probably end up alone because I thought I was slick. Because I thought I was so slick, he said, if he were my man I'd have to give him back everything he ever gave me if we broke up, pointing at my clothing as he said this. Incredulous that he would want clothing back, as if it were real estate, a car or some other big ticket item...I laughed aloud. This infuriated him and he threatened that if I didn't, hypothetically of course, return what he "lent me", then I would find my self buried under a bush. After explaining the finer points of "giving" vs "lending" to my new friend, he decided that he would more than likely catch a case if he gave any further consideration to dating me and promptly left the BBQ.

I didn't take these encounters personally because these were guys that I would never, EVER date. So the way things turned out was super cool with me. With a BOSS, 99% of this conversation would not have happened, unless it was tongue in cheek. Even then, it would have been very minimal, for the sake of a chuckle or two. I like my journey, because day by day I see how refined, particular and crisp my destiny is becoming. I see it , but I experience it in bits too. We all know that its not the destination but the journey that ultimately gives us satisfaction.