It's your job to open the door for strangers Part 1: The Flower Guy

Inch asked for it so you're going to get it.

Last night Leah, Inch, and I stayed up telling stories about the strange people we have been meeting lately. Inch now believes that I must have some sort of magnet or force that attracts them to me.

This morning I get up early so I can walk to Blockbuster and return a video before it expires. On the way Leah and I come to a crosswalk with a stop sign. As we approach a brown, ratty pickup truck pulls up and we cross in front of it. Just as we get past it we hear the driver yelling for our attention. We both turn around and see that the man has gotten out of his truck and is standing next to it with the door open. Assuming he's asking for directions I quickly run through the biggest streets of the area in my head.

He calls out, "Excuse me, girl in the red," (Thats me) "Do you think that I could give you a compliment?"

I am looking at him, searching for an answer. This isn't the question I was prepared to answer and I, of course, am at a complete loss for what to say. Seeing as how extraordinarily unexpected and well, creepy this is I think my silence is completely understandable.

He continues without my permission, "I just wanted to tell you that you're very pretty."

"Thank you." Was the only thing I could think to respond to that. Leah and I turn around quickly and continue walking as I whisper to her how I wished that hadn't happened.

Suddenly he is yelling again. I turn around and he is holding a single red rose with a ribbon tied around the stem. Extending the gift he asks, "Do you think that I could give you a flower?"

I am stunned as I try to figure out exactly what he is asking. By now we are a good 20 feet away from him so it's not like he is so threatening that I am afraid but there is no way that I want walk closer and take a flower from him.

"Please, I want to give you a flower." He repeats. Leah, who never even turned around again, whispers to me to say no and I call out, "No, I don't think so."

I turn around and we both walk away without turning around again. I fiddle uncomfortably with the movie in my hands and the man gets back into his truck and drives away.