Too hot for Milwaukee...

I want to preface this by saying that I'm not conceited. I have just never ever been hit on more in my entire life than I have in the past 2 years in Milwaukee.

Today, walking out of the VA, there were two vets sitting outside in wheelchairs (there are about 50 vets in wheelchairs, smoking in all kinds of weather, in front of the VA at any given moment, I swear) and one of them said, "You sure are wearing those clothes, ma'am." At least give me something to work with! What do I say to that? "Well yes, yes I am wearing these clothes." I know, I guess I should take compliments where I can get them and just be glad that "I've still got it", but these types of compliments just make me REALLY UNCOMFORTABLE. You would think my tough husband would jump to the rescue, but he loves it. His verbatim response: "Aw, honey, just let the old guys perv out a little, it's not like they have anything better to do."

Here's the creepiest/funniest "hit on" story. I was stopping for gas before work and standing outside of my car by the pump. An older man pulls up in his car on the other side of the pump and says, "Well, I think it's rude to talk about people behind their backs." I have no idea where he is going with this, but I'm a social worker, I have the nod and smile down pat. I do so. He continues, "But I work with some A-rabs (that's how he pronounced it) and I know some Arabic and that guy in the covenience store thinks you're very pretty." I glance in the mini mart and see a man in a turban staring out the window. The fight or flight response kicks in and I very much want my gas to be done pumping. I graciously laugh and say, "Oh well thank you" and jump back in my car and peel off to work.

Here's another one: The day before Valentine's Day, I am pushing my cart back to my car after shopping at Walmart, and the guy pushing his cart in front of me turns around and says, "I just want to be the very first one to wish you a happy Valentine's Day." I told him I would let my husband know that he beat him to the punch. That one was kind of cute and funny (not the guy, the pick up) but still...I was glad to get back in my car where my fierce-looking (but really not scary at all) dog was waiting.

Probably the most useful pick up I ever received was when I was attempting to put air in my tires at the gas station. Note, before this happened, that Tim and I had the following conversation on the phone:
Me: My tire's flat and I need to put some air in it to get home but I don't know how. What do I do?
Tim: You just undo the thing on your tire and stick the air thing on it and fill it up. Then you check the pressure with the pressure gauge.
Me: I dunno how to work the pressure gauge. What if I do it wrong?
Tim: Just be a girl and go into the mini mart and act all blonde and whatever guy is working there will help you do it. Don't worry. They'll totally do it.

Well I have just a little more pride than that so I was trying to do it myself and this guy pulls up in his car (I must look especially vulnerable and desperate for love around cars) and says, "I don't usually do this, but could I take you out to dinner somewhere?" I said, "I'm flattered, but I'm married, so I don't think so. You could help me put air in my tires though." He apologized awkwardly, but then helped me put air in my tires, then asked me if I had any friends he could go out with. Which I didn't, so that was kind of a lose-lose situation for him, but it worked out ok for me.

Has anyone else found Milwaukee to be a place of frequent pickups? It must be my perfume...