Tuesday 25 November 2008

No One Likes a Fussy Eater (or Racists)

*Sigh* I'm kinda too lazy to write a post...but I'll just let you guys know briefly that... I'm too nice.
That's right. I'm your regular "nice guy" - your "doormat", your "pushover", your "little asian guy who's too nice to say 'no'". So why this sudden epiphany?
Well, it's not like it's a new revelation or anything. I've know pretty much my whole life that I'm the sort of person who is too afraid of confrontation and too polite to refuse someone else's wishes. I've befriended people who annoy me, I've worked happily with people who've angered me and I have conversations with people who I would rather shove pencils in my eyes than listen to. But I don't. Instead I put up with it.
And tonight was no exception. J (the annoyingly gregarious Nigerian tech) came over for dinner tonight. Now, the only reason I "invited" him over (well P invited him on my behalf sort of by accident), was because he invited me over to his place last night. We had dined on some sort of spicy tomato beef stew thing which his sister had made, accompanied by exceedingly salty rice. Now, being the perfect guest that I was, I said the food was lovely and I ate every single bite (except for some beef cartliage). After dinner, I put my scraps in the bin, offered to wash up and then we went back to my place so he could use the internet (as usual).
Anyway, tonight it was my turn to cook dinner. I told him at work that we were going to have chicken kiev and chips. He had no clue what I was on about. All he said was that "He didn't like 'white food'". Omg..how freaking narrow minded is that? Ok....so the guy doesn't really have an adventurous palate (oooh...meat and potatoes...scary). I forgive him (ha!). BUT...he tells me he likes KFC. Ok...so let me get this straight. KFC = kentucky fried chicken...which is fried chicken generally served with chips. Chicken Kiev is basically chicken fillet stuffed with butter and garlice, crumbed and baked. And served with chips. I mean, seriously, how different is that to KFC? you still have chicken covered in a crunchy golden coat of artery-clogging goodness. Ok. So I explained to him that chicken kiev and chips is the same as "chicken and chips". He says that it is fine. Good.
So he rocks up to my place and heads straight for the internet. Fine. Go knock yourself out reading your Nigerian newspaper. I go in the kitchen, preheat the oven and dump everything on a tray. Then once the oven is heated, I put it all in the oven and wait. I get the cutlery and crockery ready and prepare some veges. Anyway, when it's time for dinner, I go to my room and call him. And you know what he says? "Bring it in here". Like hell I am. I tell him to go jump. Though I don't really. I explain to him that civil people generally sit down and eat dinner and have a conversation. Not have one person using the internet to read Nigerian newpapers while scoffing down a lovingly prepared meal, whilst the other person looks at the back of the other person using the computer. It doesn't quite work like that.
Anyway, he manages to pull himself away from my laptop and joins me in the kitchen. I dish out everything and he sits on the sofa. I join him on the other sofa. So I can tell by the fact that he cuts the kiev in half, claims "I don't like white food", and shoves me one half of his kiev onto my plate, that he doesn't like the food. He hadn't even eaten it. He tells me he likes KFC but not this. I was like...WTH? I explain to him that this is quality chicken breast fillet. That KFC is bloody hormone-injected pieces of chicken wing (please don't get me wrong...I love KFC as much as the next fat person). So there I am, on the couch eating 1.5 pieces of chicken kiev whilst he scoffs down some chips and veges. He pretty much finishes his meal when I'm a quarter through mine. But, instead of politely initiating a conversation to fill the time, he says "I'm going to go check my newspaper now." Now, call me old fashioned, but that is pretty, bloody freakin rude. You do not leave your host whilst they're still finishing theyre meal so that you can go use their internet. WTH is this? Some sort of "free feed, free internet" service? So he gets up, leaves his dirty plate on the counter and goes and uses the internet. I'm left sitting in a stunned silence.
I finish my meal. I do the dishes. I go back to my room and lie on my bed and read whilst he uses the internet. I yawn loudly. I exclaim how tired I am. You know...subtle hints. Eventually after a long time he gets them and says he should head off. No sh*t. I show him out the door.
*Sigh*...I'm too nice. I'm really afraid this is going to be a recurring theme. I have to stand up for myself. I really do. Man he can be annoying. He annoys the hell out of other people at work. He keeps asking this one girl to teach him driving. He asks another one to go clubbing. He keeps asking all these stupid, annoying questions. He takes extra long tea breaks and he takes them at the wrong time. He can be a damn menace sometimes. Man..and he keeps going on about how "sociable" he is and how he "gets along with everyone". Ha! If only he could hear what people were really saying behind his back (yeah..I know...office politics)!
*Sigh*...I feel like I'm inbetween a rock and a hard place with this guy. He's trying to be nice to me...but he just annoys me and uses me. I dunno. *groan*
I've just gotta say no.

1 comment:

Dianna said...

Ahh yes...I know the pain of being a submissive and approval-seeking asian...

The first step to reform is recognition of one's foibles...