Reason # 4

Reasons why Rashan should not eat lunch in the cafeteria at work:

Reason # 1: I get the itis something serious. Like I eat and immediately find myself in need of a siesta.

Reason # 2: It cuts down on my blogging time. They actually had me doing work this morning, so I wasn’t able to read and comment like I expected to.

Reason # 3: It’s mad expensive. Well, not mad expensive, but it costs more than going to Chik Fil A or Wendy’s. They have this food of the day bar that costs like 5.99 a pound. That may not sound like a lot, but it can add up. Today was Soul Food day. Once people got through piling chicken, macaroni, greens and biscuit on their plates, it can easily go over the $10 range (and no, I didn’t get that.)

Reason # 4: My least favorite. People feel like if I’m eating lunch, that they can talk to me. I don’t have that kind of face. I know I don’t. I don’t smile or make eye contact, but these people still come and sit down with me. Never mind, that I was listening to my iPod, or playing with my phone, they still come to hang out with me. It happened again today…

I’m sitting in the cafe eating my Stromboli, listening to some Tony!Toni!Tone! when this dude comes and sits down. Mind you, I didn’t invite him to sit, nor did I express any interest in having company. But he did it anyway. A little background, this is a guy I used to work with about 6 months ago. He left and just came back last week. We affectionately used to call him “Serial Killer” cuz he was just creepy (behind his back of course. I ain’t tryna get serial killed.) I also wrote this post about him when I thought he was a child molester. He had a way of leering at people (men and women) and walking up close to people when they were talking that was just off putting. To top it off, this dude could insert himself in any conversation, and then hold it by himself. So, when he sat down I knew what I was in for. He proceeds to tell me why I haven’t seen him in 6 months. I didn’t ask of course, but he told me nonetheless. The story started out with a car accident, then led to a thyroid condition and then led to anxiety attacks and trouble breathing. He talked for 7 minutes straight. Yes, I counted. I didn’t say anything to encourage him. Instead, I kept my ear buds in and listened to Raphael Saadiq sing “Still A Man.” I kept my eyes on my food and my phone in the hopes that he would just go away, but nope, he was not dissuaded. When I finished my food, I got up to throw my food away, told him goodbye, and started back up the stairs to my desk. WOULD YOU BELIEVE THIS NUT FOLLOWED ME?!?! Yep, he kept on talking as I kept on not listening. I got up the stairs, and said “Aiight, man. I gotta go back to work now.” When I was sure he was gone, I ducked back outside through the side stairwell to make a phone call. Guess who I saw? The serial killer dude!! Oh well, now he knows that I was avoiding him. I hope he doesn’t make me his next victim.