Say Hello to Stranger!

Episodes on strangers keep running about in my mind. And they do not rest until I write them away. Strangers are relatively more decisive about making me write about them.

I

I do not open the door in shorts, I don't. The afternoon felt like midsummer as I perched on the couch, legs flung on the teapoy like they weren't mine, watching another absurd movie on HBO. Just then I heard the doorbell. We weren't expecting anyone, but I felt it could be mom early from work. I saw two familiar strangers through the door-eye and opened. I hadn't slipped into anything decently long because I knew they were strangers and won't just walk into our living room! Okay, I am not justifying myself, I was just lazy. Anyway. There stood a stout man smiling and a woman, should be his wife. He asked me if mom was home, and he did look like a typical colleague of hers actually. When I smiled and said no, he asked if I could recall who he was. I obviously couldn't. I mean come on, it's me! Then he just followed me into the house and started talking. I had absolutely no idea why let them in, for all I knew I did not know them. The woman asked for water, mom has coached me to treat people better. I gave them coke! And then he asked me where my mother was working these days. I should have been surprised, because dude, I thought you were her colleague. But guess what, I wasn't. I mean c'mon it's me! I chatted with them, the compulsive gay blabber I enforce on myself when there are people around I am expected to talk to. He asked me where dad worked! Hell.. and he asked for my mom's number. I still didn't wonder if something was fishy. The drama went on for a dozen more minutes before they left. I wasn't duped after all, the man used to know my mom and had come to see a flat in our building.

II

But there was another situation, sometime ago. I was walking back from the bank, the long line was frustrating and we weren't so much into e-banking and stuff then. A bike slowed down right beside me. I didn't seem to notice. Must have been thinking about Siberia for all I care, I always seem to be lost somehow. The guy said he saw me in the bank, and I said okay. And he told me that he was a distant relative, or some cousin's friend or something and has been to my house many times. I bought that. I bought that. Can you believe it? In fact I told him where I lived, and I was smiling at him. I should be nicer to people I always thought. And he kept throwing stones in the dark, guesses about my cousin and my family, which were all wrong. And I kept correcting him. I didn't, I didn't for a nanosecond think that this guy could be some stalker or something. Finally when he asked me for a coffee, I realized something was wrong. Somehow, random divinity on my side, my stupidity took a break and I got him off myself and denied him the cup of coffee after a long argument. I came up with a series of excuses, yeah excuses. I still didn't accuse him of anything.  He said he would give me a lift anyway seeming pissed off, or even angry. I let him be and walked back home muttering, sonovabitch!