i'm trouble

i really really don't understand how i can get myself into this kind of trouble. it's not like i'm a complete country girl who has never lived in a city and is all innocent and stuff. i mean... c'mon! why do people approach *me*?

here are four examples quickly written, so i hope they articulate what went on. the second one honestly freaked me out.

1. coming back up to the room (by myself on thursday) there was a guy in the elevator with a cart full of luggage. i was just going to wait for him to use the elevator, and then call the next one. he saw me waiting and insisted "ladies first". i thought that meant that he was going to let me use the elevator first. and was like, you're already in elevator... don't worry, i'll take the next one. then he pushed the cart out, with much effort, and was like: go ahead. after a bit of banter, i conceded. then he asked if i minded him using the elevator too. obviously i said no, and then he got back in, started pushing and pulling the cart, trying to manipulate it in. FINALLY he got the cart in, and was like: hi! you must be american. i was like no, i'm canadian. he then proceded to tell me how he was from saudi arabia, and it was his first time in the u.s.a. blah blah blah. thankfully he had to exit the elevator before me.

2. today i was waiting for the bus and decided it might be betterer to just take a taxi to the metro station and metro it in to d.c.. i saw a taxi go by, and waved to it, trying to get the driver's attention. of course the taxi driver didn't see me. the driver in the white van behind him did. and drive by, giving me a couple honks. then they drove around the block and beeped at me. the second time they drove around, they ended up behind barb and rachel, who asked if i wanted a ride, and seeing the other dude, and trying to ignore him, i was like: hells yeah!! and ran to them, white the guy was behind them waving at me.

3. at target i was waiting outside for rachel and barb, and getting a piece of gum. the security guard asked me for a piece. okay, i did need to make him repeat himself, because really, i wasn't expecting him to talk to me. of course i gave him a piece, and then afterwards really really made an effort to copy danielle's "do not approach or talk to me" attitude. and it worked. after the earlier experience, i was not wanting a repeat.

4. i wanted a veggie burger at the museum i decided to eat lunch at. in case you don't know... i hate mushrooms and am constantly needing to ask if veggie burgers have mushrooms in them. so i had to ask the guy working at the cafeteria. he said no, and then asked if i was allergic to them, OBVIOUSLY i said yes. then he said he'd go ask. i thought that afterwards he said, "you sure you're allergic to them?" so i said that "yes, i am." apparently he really said: are you from d.c.? because when he came back he said that they do have mushrooms, and where am i from in d.c. i was like: oh! no, i'm not from here. i'm from canada. and he was like: day-amn. canada's far. that's too bad.