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Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Jamaican Cooks & The Fact That All I Can Eat Now Is Dirt

Nigh on a month ago I started hearing whisperings among the bell staff at the Wequassett regarding one of the cooks. Since, at this point, I had only been working at the resort for about three months—and only part time at that—I had no idea who they were talking about until one of them oh-so-casually mentions how he thinks this cook and I should exchange numbers. I asked who he was and realized I had seen him once or twice. Since he wasn't too bad on the eyes I felt a little complacent about the whole thing.

Here we see:
Error #1: I told this particular bellman, "Do whatever you want."

The next time I was at the employee kitchen for my break, I notice this particular cook, we'll call him Murphy (mostly because that's his name and he will never come across this blog). Murphy comes up to me and starts asking me what I like to do, where I like to eat, etc. etc. I gave him no definite answer and slyly remove myself from the situation.

Here we see:
Error #2: Failing to tell him ASAP that I am uninterested.

Fast forward to about two weeks ago when one of the bellman hands me a slip of paper with Murphy's phone number. "Are you kidding me?" To which my only response was, "He's waiting for yours." "Yeah, 'cause that's clearly gonna happen," I responded while throwing the piece of paper away. I was than berated by said bellman for not giving Murphy a chance and what a nice guy he was.

Here we see:
Error #3: Not sticking to my guns and knowing that Jamaicans/Foreigners are persistent as hell.

From that point onward it just went from bad to worse. The other bellman in the duo collaborators took my phone number from the employee list and gave it to Murphy under protest from me and later that night, at a farewell party for the digit lifting culprit, Murphy and said bellman convinced me to go out to dinner with him that Saturday night (that Saturday night being this past Saturday night).

Here we see:
Error #4: Me actually agreeing to go out to dinner with him just to get him to stop bothering me. HA! Giving in is actually more of an incentive for Jamaicans/Foreigners to stalk you.

Since that point, last Tuesday night, until the next time I worked on Thursday night, Murphy called me a total of seven times in a two-day period. Let me repeat that for emphasis, seven times in a two-day period. He called me not once, not twice, but three times on Tuesday night when I didn't pick up right away because, you know, I was sleeping to "make sure I made it home ok" after the aforementioned farewell party. He called me four different times on Wednesday. No messages, just missed calls 20 minutes apart. He called me twice on Thursday before I got to work.

At this point I realized my fatal errors and knew that there was no other way to stop the insanity except to go into uber-bitch mode. The thing is, I legitimately couldn't go out with him on Saturday night due to plans that I forgot about in the heat of the uncomfortable moment that was Tuesday night. However, when I tried to tell him this, he got mad at me for not returning his calls. Is it just me, or is he sounding a lot like a jealous lover? So, he got mad and demanded that I tell him why I hadn't returned any of his phone calls. The exchange went a little something like this:

Murphy: Why didn't you call me back?
Me: Why didn't you leave a message?
Murphy: I didn't want to be charged on my phone. I just wanted to say hi.
Me: You were already calling me, what's so hard about leaving a message saying, 'Hey Christina, just wanted to say hi and see how you are doing?"
Murphy: I told you, because I didn't want to be charged for the airtime.
Me: But you were already calling me. Besides, why would you continue to call and call and call? Why would that make me want to call you back?
Murphy: I wouldn't have continued calling if you had called me back.
Me: So you're punishing me for not returning your calls? If I don't return your calls then you're just going to continually call me and leave no message?
Murphy: No, that's not what I meant.

Etc., etc. Basically he held me 30 minutes beyond my normal half hour break to fight with me about going out with him. Correct me if I'm wrong, but why would this make me want to go out with him? Am I all of a sudden convinced that, yes, this is a good idea because you sat there and fought with me about how I need to give you a chance and you're a great man? Of course! How could I be so blind! I mean, really people, what's the delio? Why are guys so persistent when it's clear that the woman involved is not interested? And you wonder why we can be such bitches. Take the hint. If I didn't call you back it's because I wasn't interested. And how much pleasure would he really have from taking a woman out to dinner only because he forced her into it?

Thankfully, since our little "chat" on Thursday (the last time I worked), he has not called at all. Something tells me I'm going to be taking my breaks at home from now on seeing as I live a minute away from the Wequassett. Add to that the fact that all I can eat is dirt now and I think that's a good reason to avoid the employee kitchen all together.

Post on why I can only eat dirt now coming soon....or not so soon, depending on my motivation.

3 comments:

Holly said...

At least you can't say you don't have ANY options. :)
But, man, yeah, that's horrible when they act like that and then expect you to LIKE them. What children they can be sometimes.

Spirit Vapors said...

sounds like cultural differences in courtship... :)

Natalie said...

We are the same person and it is really crazy! I have a guy calling my a few times a week until I agree to spend time with him. After blowing him off (long story) he wore me down and may be coming over today for I the one hour I told him I could spare. He says,
"I miss you"
but, "we are just friends I like you but I don't love you"
as if that is a strange comfort for his creepy clinginess. I love clingy people!
Phone number please I need to talk to you and I don't have your new number with me!