the blog at planet-roz

Was driving through Sea Point today and stopped behind a “bakkie” (a truck) at a red light. The back was open and there were three scruffy, tired looking girls in the back, ranging probably from ages 4-10. Anyway, they were all looking at me, and then at each other, and you could tell they were talking about me.

I then shrugged my shoulders as if to say “what’s up”, and then gave them a smile and they all gave me huge smiles back. The light changed to green and we all started to move. They then waved at me and I waved back and we just carried on waving. Waving, waving, waving.

They soon turned right and I continued straight, but we all carried on waving. I dunno, it just made all seem well in the world.

So all of a sudden for some reason I am being inundated with male attention – at the gym, at the traffic department, through friends, at church etc, which should be all good right? Right? Wrong! So wrong when it’s from the wrong kind of blokes. Why do men feel the need to call you “baby” and “darling” after one meeting?

There’s this guy I was introduced to by a friend, and he’s called like 5 times today and sent numerous texts. I was busy at the office and at a conference so my phone was switched off. So he calls again and asks me why I haven’t replied to his texts or answered the phone. Dude, I’m at work, and you’re coming on a bit strong. Then he asks if I can drop by to see him after work as he wants to see my “pretty face”, to which I reply “sorry, I have an appointment after work”, to which he replies “so you can’t come see me?”, to which I reply “um, no!”

Then silence as he hangs up.

Sayonara!

Do men go to some remedial class on romance or something where they’re taught to lay it on thick with the sweet nothings? Please. Save it for when you really mean it. You know how some people say excessive swearing — of the effing and blinding type — shows a general lack of vocabulary? Well, this feels like the same thing. Learn some new words for goodness sake!

So yesterday, I was at a seminar for work and sitting next to me was this lady who looked so familiar, but I couldn’t place where I knew her from. She starts talking to me eventually, and we discuss Lagos, Johannesburg and Cape Town. I know she’s someone well-known so I say:

Me: Please forgive me. I know I know you from somewhere, but I can’t remember where.

Lady: [who hesitates for a split second as if to wonder at my lack of knowledge] I’m the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Me: Oh yes, so sorry. [although that still doesn't ring any bells]

And then we carry on chatting and she’s really quite nice and introduces me to a young man from her office who came with her.

I then slip out to tell a colleague what just happened, and to try to find out who she is. He tells me her name is Fatima Hajaig, and I know her ‘cos she’s been in the papers a lot recently due to her speech at a Palestine solidarity rally, in which she said:  “The control of America, just like the control of most Western countries, is in the hands of Jewish money, and if Jewish money controls their country then you cannot expect anything else.” She later apologised after the ensuing furore.