Now Don't I Feel Stupid

In the locker room today, after my workout, I was joined next door by one big dude who I spotted downstairs. Trying to be nice, I said (without a shirt on), "So how was it?" He replied, "What?" I answered back, "Your workout." His response? "Good. And yours." My answer? "Good. Long, but good." He then removed his shirt and it was though we were having a shirtless face-off in the locker room.

Of course, I tried not to look as I continued getting dressed. He then stripped down - all the while facing me. He wanted me to look. I tried to avoid the situation. "Why give him any more satisfaction to feed his apparent ego?" I thought. So I continued about my business as he headed for the shower.

See what happens when you try to be nice? Not only could he have said, "See you" like most people would as they exited, I'm sure he now thinks I was trying to make a connection. I suppose on some level I was. But in the end, I walked away thinking I was an idiot for being pleasant.

Now his ego is stroked, he probably thinks I'm creepy, and I'll have to see him again at the gym later this week most likely. Next time, however, I'll pay him no mind. I'll show him who's boss.

Side Note: They always say, "The only one who can make you feel stupid is yourself." Well, they always say SOMETHING like that. And it's true. But as I just told Chris, my incident earlier in the day just takes me back to junior high school when I was fat and shaped like a pear. I'd try to talk to the popular kids and nobody paid me any attention. So, how I felt then is exactly how I felt after I tried being nice. Silly, I know. But it's true. Who needs a psychologist?"