Being cruised

"Nandito ako para manood ng cine at hindi imolestya."

There are some people who have pet peeves when it comes to watching movies. I don't like people nudging my elbow-and I usually just place my elbows-on the shared armrest. Guess I can now add being restroom cruised into that list. It was day 3 of Cine Europa, I got too engrossed with what I was reading at Powerbooks that I missed a few minutes of the movie. Since I couldn't find a nearby seat when I entered, I decided to just watch from the corridor. I've done this before at previous film fests. Chalk it up to me being too lazy to find a seat. :p

A few minutes of being settled, I decided to go to the restroom to take a leak. I finished, washed and went back to my spot. The guy who had used the urinal beside me apparently had his own ideas.

I had just settled at my spot when I noticed him beside me. He looked at me for a second before going back to wherever he was seated. Looking back, he probably did not make his move then as mall security was right in front of us and watching the movie from the corridor as well. Eventually the guard leaves and he shows up again. He advises me that there are some free seats there and I replied that I was okay where I was. He introduced himself and I guess he may have interpreted my courtesy as a sign of interest. The lingering hand shake was a fucking red flag, but the whispered invite from afar to follow him sealed the deal.

I was not about to skip a movie that I lined up for, free though it may be, just to get my rocks off. I waved him away from afar and ignored him before turning back to face the screen. In hindsight, he probably did not see me gesture due to the lighting. Anyway, I feel something touching my crotch, and I didn't have to look beside me to know who was doing it. I immediately move away from him to place a gap between us the second I felt it. You would think that my reaction would be a clear indication to leave me alone, but he had the guts to ask me where I lived, and if it would be okay if he followed me home. I shook my head no and he asks me how old I am.

"Nandito ako para manood ng cine at hindi imolestya." (I'm here to watch a movie and not get molested) Yeah, I said that. My brain is trying to register it right now too. It sounds like some random line from a local tv soap. Regardless, it did the trick and he immediately left me alone. I tried to watch the movie again from the same spot but the events that transpired ruined it for me so I eventually checked the front row to see if there were free seats. There were two vacant ones now so I took my pick and refocused on the film.

What did I feel during the event that transpired? Annoyance. Most distractions during movie watching are quite annoying don't you think? It doesn't matter if the person who did it was a guy or a girl, I would have said no; however, I won't deny getting a minor ego boost at someone making a pass at me. That is part of how we are wired methinks.