Predator turned Prey

I was sitting at Panera Bread again where I had been pretending to study. Probably failing at it because it's President's day and far too many people are going by for me to really concentrate on OSI models and TCP/IP encapsulation. For a while, I was beginning to wonder if something was wrong with me because every where I looked, I was being stared at. Not the momentary glance before returning back to the conversation with their fellow lunch partners. Oh no. I am talking about a full on stare. As if I had a large protrusion coming out of my forehead.

When I first arrived to order my food, the girls behind the counter were staring at me. I didn't think much about it because I am a regular but the girl who served me had a smile on her face as she looked at me. And she is the one who usually looks like she has the world on her shoulders. I mean even the manager was staring at me!

To test my theory that I was being checked out (what a geek I am), I got up to get a refill on the coffee, and as I walked by this one woman, she kept her eyes on me until I walked on by. And when I returned to my table, as I settled myself, I looked up to see her eyes unabashedly on me again. After I made eye contact with her, she turned back to her lunch companion. A bit after that, I went to relieve myself, and as I walked by the self serve soda fountain, another woman was looking right at me, even when I made eye contact with her. I had to break off eye contact as I almost walked into someone else.

Maybe my shirt was hanging out of my pants and I just didn't know it. I took a peek at myself in the mirror to see if I had some ugly red mark on my face (or something equally disturbing), and I have to say that there wasn't anything wrong with me. A while later, I glanced up in thought as I was searching for the right word while typing on my laptop, and another woman was staring at me. Finally, as I packed my things to leave, I saw in the window the reflection of another woman looking at me. What is going on?

Most of these women were in my age range. Now, I know I cannot be mistaken for Adonis. This isn't humbleness speaking here, I am being realistic about my appearance. I think my brother, who is an avid snowboarder and ex-cross country runner is in far better shape than I have ever been. I might be mistaken for a slightly stocky line backer. (Ok, ok, if I were really a linebacker, I would be scrawny.)

I am only about five foot nine inches, so I'm about average in height for an american male (for an asian, I would be considered tall). Though I am not exactly an inactive sloth (I ride my mountain bike alot and play paintball), I really like to eat, so I constantly have to battle with my waistline. In fact, at this time of the year, I am probably close to my heaviest because the weather has a great deal to do with whether or not I get to be very active. To add to this less than godly appearance, I was sporting a few days worth of facial hair (which still isn't much, since I don't have to shave on a regular basis) and my hair was a bit longer than I normally keep it.

I suppose I shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth, but it just doesn't make any sense to me. I have mentioned in the past that being checked out by attractive women is, for me, a nice ego boost. But several women in one five hour period? That is very unusual for me to attract such attention.

As I think upon it now, I find it amusing how the tables have been turned on me. I was the one that has been placed on display like a slab of meat ready for carving. Usually, I am the one doing the staring. I have to admit it was very disconcerting. Especially in light of my recent decision that I would not let the lack of a female in my life paralyze me from experiencing life as it should be.

Funny in hindsight, yet oddly disconcerting. Of course, there might have been a rumor going around that some major asian movie actor was nearby and they thought I was that guy. Ok, that's a bit far fetched, I agree. Yet, so is being stared at by large numbers of women like a tasty piece of meat.