The whole point is that he wasn't doing anything except trying to look busy.
It's not like we pounced on him at first sight. He had been in the shuttle but with us from the airport and we'd exchanged pleasantries most days.
It would be a sad world if every gesture of congeniality was seen as a prelude to sexual propositions.
I agree, I'm sure your wife was trying to be friendly, not have any sinister motives.
Also, some areas of the UK/world are more chatty than others, so where is OK to be friendly in one place is fine but another is interpreted differently.
I shall back off, given some of the replies on here!
The whole point is that he wasn't doing anything except trying to look busy.
It's not like we pounced on him at first sight. He had been in the shuttle but with us from the airport and we'd exchanged pleasantries most days.
It would be a sad world if every gesture of congeniality was seen as a prelude to sexual propositions.
A rather different scenario to the one you initially posted then.
I didn't mean to knock your friendly gesture, but being approached by strangers in hotels very often is a prelude to sexytimes, I can assure you, and it's as well to be aware of that. Clearly it made the lad in question feel uncomfortable, if he avoided you after that. If he was trying to look busy, but wasn't actually doing anything, he was probably trying to avoid being approached by someone! I've done that before in certain situations.
. I can assure you that there was ABSOLUTELY no sexual imperative involved. He'd been on his own all week, we were on the other side of the world and he looked lonely. That was it.
He was embarrassed being caught pretending to look at his laptop. If it had been on, or i'd not so obviously trailed off when I saw he was shamming, he might well have accepted. Who knows.
A rather different scenario to the one you initially posted then.
I didn't mean to knock your friendly gesture, but being approached by strangers in hotels very often is a prelude to sexytimes, I can assure you, and it's as well to be aware of that. Clearly it made the lad in question feel uncomfortable, if he avoided you after that.
..becasue he was PRETENDING to use his laptop. I really don't think he saw Mrs. Bleads and I as some kind of ravenous sexual predators.
Perhaps I didn't word that as well as i could have done.
Now I'm off to the gym. If any of you see me on the way and i smile at you, it is NOT an invitation for sexual relations.
Mrs. Bleads spots this lad typing away and staring intently at the screen and told me to go over and ask him to join us for a drink.
only to notice the laptop wasn't even switched on which stopped me in my tracks and ended with him mumbling embarrassingly about his battery dying and making a swift exit.
He was probably embarrassed cos who sits in a lobby typing away on a switched off laptop?
I work in a hotel (although it is a kind of OAP hotel so may be different).
From what I've seen and experienced, I would just say hello in passing and then leave it up to them if they want to respond or not. I wouldn't ask them to 'join you' but just make general conversation when passing (going to get a drink etc) and just gauge their response. The key is being sensitive to their reaction and not pushing it - a friendly comment about the weather shouldn't be misconstrued.
I am staying in a hotel and feeling awkward about a couple of issues
When someone is alone with a laptop, do you leave them alone or chat to them as they are away from home and might be lonely or could be working but they could do that in their room. It is not a chat up, just me being my natural friendly self and like to be welcoming to people away from home in my home town.
Same goes in a health club in a jacuzzi/steam room. People swimming are just getting on with it, so is quite solitary.
Where I feel awkward, is that I worry about being snubbed if I talk to them but feel rude if I don't. I am happy to leave them alone but wonder if other people feel this as well?
I don't think there's any harm in just smiling and saying Hi as you pass but actually going up to him and trying to make proper conversation...no, leave him in peace.
Thank you - it seems the general consensus is laptop = back off!
I am not a busybody, I'm simply someone who is naturally friendly and don't want to invade people's space which is why I asked the question.
The ones who don't care and barge in wouldn't be asking the question.
To each his own eh - referring to some on here who wouldn't appreciate you or Teddybleads talking to them You could talk to me anytime whether I was on my laptop, swimming or having a sauna
I work in a hotel (although it is a kind of OAP hotel so may be different).
From what I've seen and experienced, I would just say hello in passing and then leave it up to them if they want to respond or not. I wouldn't ask them to 'join you' but just make general conversation when passing (going to get a drink etc) and just gauge their response. The key is being sensitive to their reaction and not pushing it - a friendly comment about the weather shouldn't be misconstrued.
OAP? Please! I suppose I'm one of them but at 66 don't consider myself old; I prefer to call myself a lady of leisure
The whole point is that he wasn't doing anything except trying to look busy.
It's not like we pounced on him at first sight. He had been in the shuttle but with us from the airport and we'd exchanged pleasantries most days.
It would be a sad world if every gesture of congeniality was seen as a prelude to sexual propositions.
See, those little details completely change everything, its gone from a couple approaching a young man they don't know to come and sit with them.......................
To a holiday group already familiar with each other inviting each other for a drink/chat.
It's a bit weird though. If I was obviously busy doing something and a couple approached me to have a drink with them, it would be the first thing that crossed my mind.
There's a fine line between being friendly and invading someone's personal space or disrupting their personal time.
I agree. If someone (especially a couple) did that to me I'd be quite scared.
One hotel where I stayed for work had a round table set aside in the restaurant for single guests. If you wanted to be sociable you could sit there, if not you where given your own table.
Comments
You aren't a Liberal Democrat peer are you?
I agree, I'm sure your wife was trying to be friendly, not have any sinister motives.
Also, some areas of the UK/world are more chatty than others, so where is OK to be friendly in one place is fine but another is interpreted differently.
I shall back off, given some of the replies on here!
A rather different scenario to the one you initially posted then.
I didn't mean to knock your friendly gesture, but being approached by strangers in hotels very often is a prelude to sexytimes, I can assure you, and it's as well to be aware of that. Clearly it made the lad in question feel uncomfortable, if he avoided you after that. If he was trying to look busy, but wasn't actually doing anything, he was probably trying to avoid being approached by someone! I've done that before in certain situations.
He was embarrassed being caught pretending to look at his laptop. If it had been on, or i'd not so obviously trailed off when I saw he was shamming, he might well have accepted. Who knows.
..becasue he was PRETENDING to use his laptop. I really don't think he saw Mrs. Bleads and I as some kind of ravenous sexual predators.
Perhaps I didn't word that as well as i could have done.
Now I'm off to the gym. If any of you see me on the way and i smile at you, it is NOT an invitation for sexual relations.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21418431
I'm supporting the Beer, Baccy and Crumpet party in the Eastleigh by election:D
How disappointing.
He was probably embarrassed cos who sits in a lobby typing away on a switched off laptop?
From what I've seen and experienced, I would just say hello in passing and then leave it up to them if they want to respond or not. I wouldn't ask them to 'join you' but just make general conversation when passing (going to get a drink etc) and just gauge their response. The key is being sensitive to their reaction and not pushing it - a friendly comment about the weather shouldn't be misconstrued.
I don't think there's any harm in just smiling and saying Hi as you pass but actually going up to him and trying to make proper conversation...no, leave him in peace.
To each his own eh - referring to some on here who wouldn't appreciate you or Teddybleads talking to them You could talk to me anytime whether I was on my laptop, swimming or having a sauna
OAP? Please! I suppose I'm one of them but at 66 don't consider myself old; I prefer to call myself a lady of leisure
See, those little details completely change everything, its gone from a couple approaching a young man they don't know to come and sit with them.......................
To a holiday group already familiar with each other inviting each other for a drink/chat.
I'm a little younger but maybe the 20/30 somethings are less sociable in this day and age.
I agree. If someone (especially a couple) did that to me I'd be quite scared.