Was this you in the BJ’s parking lot on Saturday afternoon? Older man, long white beard, glasses, wearing a plaid shirt, suspenders, driving a big light grey pickup truck, accompanied by your wife. You approached me as I was unloading groceries into the back of my car and said “Can I ask you a question?” to which I, surprised, said “Sure.”
At which point, you laughed and said, “I just did!” And then you proceeded to tell me a dirty joke. I don’t know why I didn’t respond with outrage. It could be because I am not good at confrontations.
But I was and am still angry that a complete stranger would think it was OK to approach me in a parking lot and engage me in conversation for the purpose of telling me an offensive joke. I stared at you as you drove out, but neither you nor your wife noticed.
So I’m writing this letter to the Recorder in the hopes that you will read it and recognize yourself. Or perhaps your wife or some of your friends will recognize you and confront you about this behavior. It is not OK to accost women in a parking lot with offensive jokes, regardless of whether you think they are funny. Stop it. Don’t ever do it again.
And to women in Franklin County, if this man ever approaches you and starts a conversation by saying “Can I ask you a question?”say “NO” and tell him that you know who he is and why he starts these confrontations and that you will not be quiet and allow yourself to be targeted like this.
And to men in Franklin County, if you spot this man approaching a woman in a parking lot, speak out. We all need to protest this type of behavior and bring it to an end.
Susan Fentin
Conway