Pests

The other day I was gonna take a taxi and I saw this guy that my guy friends always talk to. I figured ok I'll give him some business. He always says hi when I walk by and seems ok.

So the first sign of trouble was he opened the door for me to sit in the front seat. I don't know the details, but I just know from friends I shouldn't sit in the front if I can help it. I have, when it was a group of us girls and no one else wanted to. It was no big deal.

So, tried to open the back door, but he said it was broken and motioned for me to sit in the front. I asked him about the door on the other side. I mean he needs to have a working door for his taxi, right? So he said fine.

So then he asked if I lived with one of the guys I always hang out with. I thought this was such a strange question and he must be asking me something else, so I said “What?' After a few times asking me the question he said nevermind figuring I didn't understand.

I repeated his question to him to see if I was hearing him right. I was. I told him, NO!!!

I understood his question, but to my dismay I didn't understand why he was asking. He was figuring out if I was available. So now that I was, he went staight into how he and I should get married. I said no thanks, thinking he'd drop it. But he wouldn't take no for an answer. After 3 or 4 times of me telling him I didnt want to he kept saying think it over.

I told him I had things in my life I still wanted to do. He said that was fine, I could still do them. I told him Im no muslim, he said I could convert and it was no problem. I told him I didnt want to convert and I didnt want to marry him.

He still said I should think it over. As if he was such an amazing man and I'd be missing out on a once in a lifetime opportunity if I really didn't think about it.

I got out of the car and handed him a 10 and asked if he had change. He said no. I just stared at him, then said I dont have change. He did have change and I still paid him a fat amount.

I learned a few things in class the next day to say in arabic to men when they wont let up:

• If you want me to marry you I will be so unhappy, I'll have to kill myself.

• You need to ask my father first.

I need to learn about how to say a few more things like:

• I couldn't possible marry you because you are the ugliest man I've ever met.

• I cant cook, clean or do anything at all and I need a lot of money to shop

• I'm in love with another man, and want to marry him

I"m sure their response will be no problem to these as well. They say that like its all fine, but its not. I've heard the most effective one is the one that tells them to ask my father first.