7.25.2008

A is for awkward


I wish someone would do a study to determine just what portion of the male mustache-wearing population is pedophiles. Because we have a foreign neighbor who sports a 'stache who has taken a liking to Miss Dub. It's nothing too strange; he comments on how cute she is, and waves "bye-bye." He doesn't seem overtly creepy, but we're not setting an extra plate out our table, ifyaknowwhatimsayin.

He does like to call Miss Dub "baby girl," which is more embarassing (for him) than alarming (for us). So we may have rushed into the house a few times to avoid the 'stacher, as well as the enormous suckers he likes to give Miss Dub. (So far, none have tested positive for razors or Roofies.)

Things got a little weirder the other day, however, when he ran up to apartment and brought back a - wait for it - Hannah Montana doll for Miss Dub. I didn't even know what to say. "Why are you buying gifts for my child?" seemed too cold. And, "My child is more fond of Elmo than wig-wearing tweeners," seemed too rude.

So now we have a really obnoxious Hannah Montana doll lost somewhere in our toy stash. And we have me wondering if I should change the locks or pen a thank-you note:

Dear 'Stacher,

Thanks for buying a doll that's not age-appropriate for my daughter. If you were really creepy, you would probably know to buy something else, so that's a good thing, I guess.


In the future, however, if you wish to make sweet comments and/or distribute gifts, you will have to have to shave your mustache.

Thanks again!

The Dubs

22 comments:

janaya said...

moustaches... <-- that's how we spell it in canada, and i kinda like the fanciness of it... but it doesn't make them any less creepy. my dad had one most of my life, but for some reason that's different. i think if you looked like tom selleck in the 80s then you were totally outside the pedophile radar. it's the skinny 'staches that make my stomach churn... and add some awkward nicknames for a little girl and the whole buying her gifts thing to the equation, and he's lucky you're not calling 911. maybe you need to teach miss dub to snarl and growl at him or something.

chances are though, he just needs a friend... and that makes me sad. why do so many people who need friends have to make it so hard to want to be one?

Brenda said...

This 'staches guy sounds kinda creepy. If you feel uncomfortable - there's a reason for it and you should listen to those feelings! It is NOT normal for a grown man to want to be best friends with a little CHILD - even if he is lonely. NOT NORMAL!!!! There is a line between being friendly, and being creepy - and buying toys and gifts for the little one - just screams "I'm trying to get her to trust me, and then......" Pretty soon - if he keeps doing this and she does trust him - who knows what will happen. Be careful and trust your feelings. You have them for a reason :)

Elisa said...

I agree with tortuga... somethings fishy. Mommies have the creepy vibe for a reason. Be careful.

steph said...

I'm with janaya... My dad wore a 'stache for 80 percenr of my life, but he has always resembled chuck norris, so he's never been creepy. I loved his moustache... But this neighbor does sound a lil' off. Maybe he's lonely, or maybe he doesn't understand societal norms or the current over-communicated state of pedophilia right now (seriously, if I were a dude, I wouldn't so much as glance at a stranger' (albeit neighbor's) kid for fear of being labeled a pedo. Regardless, 'stacher better back off of my precious miss dub... Or auntie steffa will have to call on her chuck norris of a father!

steph said...

Sorry for all of the errors... Typing on a blackberry + me = disaster!

brookegfunk said...

I saw a man with an old timey 'stache last night and I thought how difficult it must be to curl the ends into perfect little circles- way high maintenance. I am a huge lover of Tom Selleck and John Waters who are way different and each have 'staches of varying thicknesses. I do think this guy may adore Miss Dub just cuz shes darling but if ya feel weird dont let him babysit or have a girls night making brownies and just be cordial in the stair areas. Oh and I liked Alex Tribec better when he had a 'stache .

NG said...

I have a neighbor who continually refers to my daughter by the wrong name... for four years now. We've tried to kindly correct her... now we just live with it. This same neighbor decided she needed a live rabbit for easter. We had to nix that idea and she still hasn't forgiven us. I take comfort in the fact that when she bad mouth's us to the other neighbors, they won't know whom she's talking about because she's not using the right name.

melissa said...

my dad has always had a mustach, and he loves kids (being a big one himself). he is the kind of guy who would always get extra fun stuff for the neighbor kids on halloween, 4th of July, etc. but back then that wasnt considered creepy, just friendly.

how old is this guy? maybe his biological clock is ticking.

but it may not hurt to take a look at one of those sex-offender locator sites, just in case. i like to give people the benifit of the doubt, but be aware.

Cindy said...

I needed a good laugh. Thanks.

hilari said...

maybe he ended up with this doll via an office party joke or something. i would just go along with brooke, if he invites miss dub over for a "tea party" - don't let her go.

Carina said...

This kind of reminds me of something my stepfather-in-law said to me once: he hates that he can't pat a child on the head, or tell a little girl how cute she is without it looking like he's a pedo. He wishes he could give a child a candy, or compliment then but he knows that their parents are not going to like it. He laments that things that used to be innocent have been twisted.

I never thought about it from his perspective: a couple bad apples have spoiled it for everyone else.

Mrs. Dub said...

OK - now i feel like i should clarify, lest think my child is in the arms of danger. i don't have a super-creepy feeling about the guy, which is why i have let his vague interactions (both walking out to the car, etc.) continue. i actually get a distinct "i always wanted to be a grandpa" feeling from him. he's, like, 60 and NOT on the sex-offender registry list, which i check all the time, of course.

but he's still a little weird, in the socially-awkward sense of the word. and the 'stache, of course. b

Meili said...

Perhaps you could hire a hit man, and by hit man, I mean a barber who has a special talent for breaking and entering. Just do what it takes to get rid of the 'stache, and the creep factor is sure to diminish.

Mary said...

Steph's dad DOES look like Chuck Norris!

That's all.

Being an older person who likes small children, I'm stayin' out of this.

P Daddy said...

I'm 59 and I wouldn't buy a significant gift for a relatively unknown neighbor's child. But, if I was 70, or foreign, or socially backward, or lonely, or mentally or emotionally deficient or disabled I might. He's probably well intended but not clued in to the way his behavior might be perceived. I think your reserved but pleasant, careful but not aggressively defensive approach is correct, unless your maternal or spiritual early warning system kicks in, in which case greater intervention would be required.

But I think any strangeness or perversity is probably not mustache-related. I think mustaches are behavior neutral, even if some twisted men (and of course most women with mustaches) may favor them for some emotional or physical hiding or image compensating reason.

I wore one briefly pre-BYU and again when your sisters were little, but, then, you now how perverse I am, and how I lavish gifts on Miss Dub.

Amber (EyesofAmber) said...

I have to chime in here in defense of the mustache...LOL. My dad has had one my entire life and my wonderfully handsome hubby sports one as well. He says that he shaved it off once early in our marriage, but I swear I don't remember it. He doesn't have much of an upper lip, so it's really very flattering on him. The beard and goatee come and go, but the mustache is always there and I would miss it if it weren't. Maybe it's the area we live in, but I've just never seen the average mustache as creepy. Long out of control ones, yes.

If he's the "I've always wanted to be a grandfather type" then I'm sure you have nothing to worry about. You aren't leaving Miss Dub with him unsupervised. Dh often remarks that he'd like to have said something about a little girl being pretty or such but's afraid he'd be dragged out in cuffs. The lady who lived next door to us when I was growing up was always buying things for me and for the little girl who lived on the other side of her. Her children and grandchildren lived far away and she only saw them once or twice a year.

Having said that, I totally understand that feeling of caution. I also check the sex offenders list all the time and watch my children so closely. My oldest is like his daddy, a big time talker who's never met a stranger and that scares me to death.

Tamms said...

I have nothing witty to say, except that you crack me up!

Ashley said...

I love reading your blog, but this one got me! You are so funny...i cant stop laughing, and i like the letter...you should send it to him.

Anonymous said...

I don't know how I missed this post, but it is so awesome.

The Queen said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
The Queen said...

ifyaknowwhatimsayin- hilarious!

Anonymous said...

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