Pacific Northwest Gardening: Laurie's Garden Tour 2, 1 by

wrote:
Oh geez, I'm having trouble keeping up! James with his gnome ( I KNEW I liked James!) , Laurie with her dog, Sofer describing himself as 'meek and tender'! Whew! I've been away too long!

Laurie, since you mentioned it, here's what I told 'wierd dude' on the bus: "My daughter would never be interested in a many twice her age, nor would I allow it. This conversation is completely offensive to me and if you and I are going to get along in any way, you will not mention my daughter to me again." You'd think if a complete stranger talked like that to you, you'd feel just a bit chagrined, but nope. Later he referred again to my daughter and I said " I told you, and I mean it. Do not speak to me again about my daughter. " He just said ,'Oh yea, I forgot. And began on another topic'. It takes all kinds.
So, Laurie, how do you get people to 'not talk to you'? I can be minding my own business completely, like when shopping, and people always think I work at the store and ask me about stock items. It can be very confusing. It's not like I go around dressed in a vest with a nametag or anything. How can anyone think that someone wearing a coat, with a handbag in her cart, actually works in the store? Happens all the time. I have to actually say to them, "Sorry. I do not work here." Then they look at me in surprise, as though a spell has just been broken for them. You must tell my your secret.

Hey ,Lynn, when you get to my house on Sunday, you'll have to keep your feelings about gnomes to yourself. I have several very friendly garden gnomes who will be really upset, otherwise, and I count on them to keep things under control in the garden.