Hints Not Taken

Mike and Brian both got on the roster for fights at the Golden Gloves this past Tuesday. Brian was lucky to get the number eleven slot, but poor Mike's bout was number 24 -- the last one of the evening. By the time he climbed into the ring, it was after 11:30 PM.

Brian's fight was close. It appeared he was pressing harder than his opponent was, especially during the last two and a half rounds. Unfortunately, the judges gave the decision to the other boxer. Mike was hyped up when he was in the ring. I could hear Steve giving him instructions to calm down. Mike did win, however. Because there are so many guys in his division, he has to do another preliminary bout this evening.

Seldom do I ever say, "I'm glad the gym is closed tonight", but this is one of those times. When Paris (Jordan's buddy) started coming to the gym, I had a feeling it wouldn't be long before he started making noises about having a relationship with me. I'm not bragging, mind you. I'm average looking because I received more of my dad's looks than my mama's, and I still need to lose some pounds. Yet I tend to attract men like Paris, who are, without question, nowhere near my type of man.

Let's have an understanding. Jordan ain't the brightest candle in the room, but he's still in his early twenties. There is time for him to (hopefully) improve. Paris is a year younger than I, and has issues he has admitted to, that I don't want to go over here. Let's just say he's done some things that have goofed his life up in a major way. Now at age 45, he's trying to rebuild his life. I'm not saying it can't be done, but it's a lot easier to do so if youth is on your side.

It begain with him asking me if I had a husband when we were in the gym on Wednesday. "Are you looking for one?" he asked when I affirmed there is no hubby at home. Knowing what he was up to, I tried to cut him off at the pass. "I don't know why some men seem to think that all women are looking for a man. After my dad divorced my mom, she got along very well without one. She never got married again," I told him. "But people need love and companionship," Paris countered. In my experience, guys who come back with that statement in an attempt to woo some woman, are usually the least equipped to give those things. "I like to live alone," I replied, hoping to give a hint that the subject was closed for further discussion.

When a woman gives the hint or states outright, "I'm not interested," the best thing for any man to do is to take her words at face value. It is foolish for a man to flatter himself into thinking he's the exception when it's clear the woman is not going to play ball. Paris continued to grin at me for the rest of the evening, and made some comment about me being "cute". "We ain't the two, and I ain't the one," I thought to myself.