Rant #1

I guess there comes a time in every blog's life when a rant pops up so, here it is:

Wednesday night Michael and I went to a bar to play poker. Now, this isn't the normal bar that comes to mind when you hear something about a bar in a rant. This is a classy cigar bar in Boulder, CO. The place has class and I'm actually very comfortable there by myself (I won't set foot in another bar without Michael and it takes a LOT of prodding to get me in one with him).

Anyway, I got knocked out of the game towards the end of the tournament and sat at the bar with a beer and a book. I was CLEARLY enjoying myself, completely absorbed in my murder mystery (because the murder had finally taken place). Then, a man who could have EASILY passed for my father started chatting me up. He wanted me to do a scratch ticket (like the lotto) for him. He seemed a little off.... he didn't smell like he'd had a lot to drink but he sure was acting like it. So I went ahead and did the ticket, and then another.... I had to keep telling him that it was ok if I didn't do another. Then I really tried to look involved in my book again, but that is really hard when you're trying to keep an eye out for an more offensive advances.

During the conversation he had asked me if I was Matt's girlfriend (the bartender) and I said no but my boyfriend was in the cigar room (because he was!). Then he said it didn't matter because I had to be somebody's girlfriend. I was thinking to myself, "Thank god, now he'll leave me alone." He pulled out another scratch ticket! UGH!

I was very uncomfortable and could see the bartender watching us, which made me think that he'd had trouble with this creep in the past. That certainly didn't make me feel any better, even if Matt was quite strong and capable of handling this guy. Also, I distinctly remember seeing this guy somewhere before. I also remember taking a path on a wide circle that wouldn't cross his path in any way possible. At this time, I was trying to send telepathic messages to Michael willing him to come out, but it never happened.

I was trying hard to politely get the man to leave and he was just NOT paying attention. I don't like to make a big scene and so I felt like I really didn't have a way out of this situation. I could feel this creep checking me out whenever I wasn't looking and didn't want to excuse myself to the bathroom as a means of leaving. I WAS TRAPPED!

I don't want this to sound like every other guy-bashing rant in the blogosphere, but I don't really know what to say. I don't think it's fair that women should have to feel like they need escort in order to be safe. I don't think it's fair that in order to prevent any untoward advances, women have to be accompanied by a man.

I was wearing jeans and long-sleeved T-shirt, don't tell me that I was attempting to draw attention. If anything, I had thought that there might be more men there than I was used to and that I should dress appropriately.

My mom said that if I had said that I was with somebody he would have left me alone, so clearly things have changed since she was having this problem. I'm extremely frustrated with this! Does anybody else have this problem? What do you do?