The Googler

The Googler has moved out of our apartment building. No, not a google - er but a man who stares at me all the time and has now got that nick name.

The Googler is a man who for some reason took a bit of a liking to me. He, himself, had smooth dark skin and perhaps my off-milk complexion was intriguing to him. Either way I'm glad he's gone.

I first met him when I was in the pool on the roof our building two months ago.

I was attempting to do some sort of aqua aerobics but it now occurs to me that he probably thought I was drowning as my arms flapped around in the water. He rushed up the stairs and over to the pool saying 'Helllloooooo'?

'Hello...?' I replied somewhat reddish in the face. I was slightly embarrassed that:

a) a person, any person, would see me in my bathers
b) that this person had obviously seen me do my funky dance moves in water
c) that he had been watching me for some time

He then went on to ask how often I did my routine. I told him that I was just playing and was about to leave.

Try to picture this. 5 pm in the afternoon. P was at work. The roof top was deserted. The Googler was standing in front of the stair well and there I was waist deep in water in a Muslim country, baring my shoulders and it could be argued, dancing provocatively. Aaarggghh!

The Googler lights a fag and then heads to the sit on the solitary bench. I jump out of the pool and wrap myself in a towel and try to put a t-shirt on. The Googler just stares.

It then of course seems that every time I see the Googler that I'm alone. Either in the stair well or in the lift. Each time he says 'Hellloooo?' and leers at me...all over me. When I tell P about the Googler he laughs and tells me that my imagination is great.

Then I saw the Googler three days ago. He was carrying boxes through the foyer, about to load a truck and tells me that he'll miss our chats and that he doesn't get to speak English often. Then I feel sort of guilty. I realise what seemed inappropriate and creepy to me was this persons only known way of communicating.

Goodbye Googler.