Viejo Verde

So, I just had an interesting experience yesterday. But, before I tell you about it, I want to share a little story from my journal in Spain:

Viejos verdes. It is an interesting term. I learned it in my spanish class here, and ever since I did I have been looking out for them to try to catch a glimpse. Now, I don't ever want to see one again for the rest of my life! Ah! Okay, let me slow down and explain. The translation of that little phrase is basically: dirty old man. My teacher said there are a bunch of old men here that look at young women and might say things. Well, I just met one who likes to do more than just say things. Part of the problem, I am sure, is that I couldn't understand the things that he was saying. I probably gave my consent to a lot of different things and had no idea I was doing it. Okay, here is the story.

So there is this bunch of trees down at the end of one of the big streets that I am often on here in Alcala. I have always looked to my left down the street and saw the trees, and I have wanted to go down there and explore.

I was talking to my friend the other day, and I asked him if there was a park down there. I have always loved parks and thought it would be so fun to go there after school someday and read or study. So today I decided to come check it out!

I walked through the park, just looking around and exploring, and I found a bench that had the sun shining on it. I sat down, turned on the Postal Service on my iPod, and pulled out my schoolbooks so that I could get my homework done. So there I am--picture it--sitting on a lovely little bench on the side of a cute little pathway, doing my homework. There are people all around-walking, working, or sitting on other benches-but I am far enough away that I still feel comfortable.

Then, this little old man comes walking by. I just noticed out of the corner of my eye that he stopped in front of me, so I look up and take my earphones out of my ears. He asked me if I was a student, and I said yes and smiled. Then he came over, put his cane on the bench, and sat next to me. He started talking, but I really couldn't understand what he was saying. I was sad that I couldn't understand, because I thought that it was a perfect opportunity to practice my spanish!

Well, we are talking and I am pretending to understand and I am having fun, but then he starts touching me. Not in a bad way- just a pat on the arm or on my hand. Then he says something that vaguely sounded like a goodbye, and opens his arms and asks for a hug. Well, I figure that he was just doing the brazo (hug) and beso (kiss) thing, because he considers us to be friends now. So we do the kiss on each cheek thing (just a note here, this is a customary thing to do in Spain when you meet or leave a friend), and it was a little awkward, but not terrible. Then he didn't leave, but kept talking to me! Only this time, he started touching me more. He kept touching my upper arm and my hand. Then he started telling me how beautiful I was, and started talking about me meeting him tomorrow so that we could have a drink in a cafe. Then he kissed my hand, and then wanted to do the beso thing again. Well this time I figured that he was leaving, which I really started wanting him to do, because I was uncomfortable and couldn't understand what he was saying. I just wanted my alone time back.

Well, he pulled me into him, and I turned my head away because he came straight at me with his mouth! That was really awkward because I thought this was a nice little old man- but obviously not, because I have never heard of a custom of kissing strangers on the mouth!

Anyway, after that I started making excuses of how I had to go, and he didn't want to hear any of it. He started talking about something and grabbed my hand like he was going to kiss it, but instead opened his mouth and went to put my finger in his mouth. I yanked my hand away from him, and he said something like to make an excuse, or a joke, or something. Then I got up and said that I needed to go. He got up and said he wanted to walk with me. So we walked, and the whole time I was ignoring him and thinking about how much I wanted to get away!

So we came up to the end of the walkway and I said I needed to go far away and that I would see him later. As I was walking away he was like, "So I'll see you tomorrow at 12:00," and I said, "Uh...probably--I don't know." What makes him think that I would want to see him again? Yuck, creepy old man.



Well, that brings me to my lovely experience yesterday. So, since I have had a lot of time on my hands lately, I decided to take Hero for a walk up Center street. For those of you who aren't familiar with Provo, Center street is the downtown part of Provo that has little old shops along the side of it. It is quaint and there is a lot to see.

Anyway, we got to the Tabernacle on University and I decided it would be cool to let Hero run around on the grass park next to the Tabernacle. So I sit beneath a tree, and let Hero fetch a ball and run around.

Well, soon enough a Hispanic man walks through the park and comes up to me. He sees Hero and starts mumbling in broken English about pets and how he used to have three dogs. He talks about how they become like members of the family, and how it is hard when they die. I smile and agree, all while still sitting on the grass beneath the tree.

Then he asked me if Hero was my first dog. I say no, that I had a dog before her, but that she passed away more than a year ago. Then he gets this sad-oh-you-poor-thing look on his face and opens his arms like he wants to give me a hug. Then he starts advancing on me, and comes towards me with his open arms and his face coming right towards mine. I cringe away from him and say, "Oh no no no" and then he says, "Oh no, it is okay" and encircles me with his arms and kisses me on the head. Ahhh!

Well, after that I just got up and wouldn't look at him. I think he got the hint and he started walking away, all while still talking to me about dogs and this and that.

Jeff says I am just completely kissable.

I say I need to start carrying pepper-spray.