Seekrit Lives of Crushers, Take Two

[teaoli]

Let me try this again:

Last night, I might not have adequately illustrated my point. I figure an example might help you lot get your brains working.

As many of you know, I volunteer time a friend's bookshop because I love the place and don't want to see another independent book store shut down. I'm only there for a few hours most weeks, so I don't know how much help I am, but I love doing what I can.

While I doubt that I have much influence on the goings on at the shop, a couple of my colleagues (and at least one customer) hold different opinions. According to them, I am the prime attraction for Blundering Bookshop Boy, a "customer" (I've never seen him make a purchase) who used to show up just as I arrived to do paperwork at the shop every Friday.

BBB would talk at me whilst I attempted to work out what I could do to make the store more appealing to customers and easier for the paid employees to handle. Mostly, I tuned him out, but I'm fairly certain that he never did anything that would imply he had the crush my colleagues were convinced he had.

And then one day BBB came in a bit later than usual, explaining that he'd just come from lunch. And he made a suggestive comment about my legs (I was wearing hiking shorts that Friday). Then he burped in my face.

In the space of two minutes, BBB went from mildly irritating to horribly annoying. I made it clear that his company was not welcome while I was trying to work, suggested he take a look at the books we had available, or that he leave if there was nothing he wanted to purchase.

It took two colleagues to make him understand that I'd really been saying "GTFO".

In spite of that, they told me, he continues to show up at the bookshop an hour or so before he thinks I'll be there (I have no set schedule), leaving moments before my expected arrival. (Yesterday, I arrived too early and found him there.) He asks about me each time, they say.

Are BBB's actions typical of a crusher? I don't like to think so, but what do you think?

Comments

[spockchick.livejournal.com]

This is a red flag Tea, as said above you know something doesn't sit right. It is a shame his appearances are so irregular. I wonder if you could enlist a male friend to walk you there a couple of times and make sure you show up early? He is probably just not NT, a bit hapless and clueless, BUT you should be careful.

[teaoli.livejournal.com]

I spoke to one of my colleagues about the problem. He told me that he and the others had begun to see BBB as a problem – across the board, rather than just with me. He's been engaging and, at times, challenging actual customers on their beliefs.

Turns out he's really religious and super judgemental. My staff plan to mention my adherence to spirituality versus religiousness. Hopefully, that will make him lose interest.