Peter: Part II

So Peter and I agreed to meet at a Vietnamese restaurant to enjoy some Pho. When he walked into the restaurant, we hugged--but I backed away a bit to avoid being kissed. I could tell he was hurt, but I confess that at that point, all I was really after was a good meal and some company. Not sex.

After dinner, he invited me back to his car. He told me that he had brought his other car, "the convertible." He asked whether I wanted to go for a drive. This was tempting. It was unseasonably warm that evening and driving around with the top down sounded wonderful.

But I declined.

He asked what I was doing the next day. I had no plans, so I asked him whether he wanted to meet at Park X and go hiking down by the River.

Sometimes women don't have the best intentions. This was my moment. I will admit that I was bored and basically using him for entertainment. Nothing more.

The park was a disaster. The entire hike he tried to grab me or kiss me. He talked incessantly about how inferior he felt to his wife--who made more money than he did (and he didn't exactly make peanuts!). I finally had to tell him to back off. When we parted, I thought he would get the hint that I wasn't interested in him.

He didn't.

Once again, I had been home for only a few minutes when my phone started chirping with text messages.

"I had fun."
"We have so much in common."
"I really like you."
"When will I see you again?"
blah...blah...blah

I sent him a polite reply, telling him that it had been fun, but I was going to be pretty busy in the coming weeks and I probably wouldn't be able to see him.

Then the emails began. And the text messages. And messaging me online. It just didn't stop. At first I sent him brief replies. Finally, I decided to ignore him completely.

It didn't work.

Several months later, he was still trying to communicate with me although I never replied.

I finally decided to meet him one last time. Really. Really dumb move on my part. I thought if he and I got together and I paid for my own coffee and I told him that I wasn't interested in seeing him anymore...he would leave me alone.

No such luck.

It was a hot summer day when he and I met again. I was wearing a white t-shirt and white capri pants. I paid for my own coffee. We sat down and I got to work telling him that I really didn't want to see him again. Could he please stop communicating with me. I said he was a nice guy, but I was already "taken" and I was busy. Too busy for him.

I will admit that I felt lousy being so harsh with him. I truly didn't want to hurt his feelings, I just wanted him to leave me alone.

He replied that he, too, was already "taken." But he still wanted to have sex with me. Did I remember, he added, how I had told him how orally gifted he was?

Sigh.

The things you later regret saying in the heat of the moment.

When we parted, it was my understanding that he got the bigger picture. I wasn't interested in him. He should leave me alone.

Yet the communications continued. One email made me laugh when he wrote that I had worn "virginal white" for him when we met for coffee. "Virginal white?" WTF? It was over 100 degrees that day. Who wouldn't wear all white?

The communications have lessened. I made myself "permanently invisible" to him so he can no longer see when I'm online. I do get the occasional email and text. Once he actually said that he hoped I read his communications "with fondness."

Ha.