Sometimes, kind intentions are taken way out of context.

So, what would you do if someone seemed harmless at first, but their attention started to feel constant and hard to avoid? Would you keep being polite because the person means well? Or would you go out of your way to avoid it altogether?

In the following story, one woman finds herself in this situation and is avoiding further contact. Here’s what’s going on.

AITA for being creeped out by the disabled cashier?

There’s a deaf bagger who works at my local grocery store.

He’s always been very kind and never aggressive, but he’s displayed a lot of behavior that’s made me uncomfortable around him, to the point where I don’t even shop there anymore.

There are a handful of disabled employees at this store, and they’re often the baggers. I have no issue talking to them and chatting about their day or whatever interests they have, so please don’t think it’s an ableist thing. They’re amazing and so sweet. The aforementioned bagger included.

When he asked for her number, she obliged.

Even though he is deaf, he speaks pretty well and understands me, even though I know almost zero sign language.

Our conversations were initially just like any other conversations I’d have with the other disabled employees. “How’s your day? Hopefully, it’s almost done, and you can rest at home! Have a good one and see you next time!” etc., etc.

He eventually asked me for my number. He seemed harmless, so I gave it to him, but I never intended to progress our relationship past platonic/acquaintanceship.

Luckily, her fiancé isn’t the jealous type.

He immediately texted me and asked me on a date to church. I responded with gratitude but let him down gently as I was/am engaged. He took it well.

Now every time I am in the store, he finds me. He’s even come up to me in the parking lot. He wants his hug every time, which sometimes makes me slightly uncomfortable. And he will always, every single time, tell me to text him.

He even does it in front of my fiancé. My fiancé is cordial with him as well, handshakes and fist bumps, etc. My fiancé isn’t the jealous type.

She just wants to get out of the situation.

Sometimes the bagger will text me out of the blue. Usually, it’s innocuous, but there have been times when he has asked me to give him a ride home from work, which is usually later in the evening. I usually just ignore the texts.

I guess he has never done anything explicitly inappropriate, but I’m not one who is typically fond of getting close to others because I have been taken advantage of many times, because I am a chronic people pleaser, and have a hard time saying no.

I guess my defense mechanism is to avoid someone who makes me feel uncomfortable or any other relevant feeling, including this disabled gentleman. He isn’t necessarily a creep, but I get creeped out by him, and I feel a lot of guilt because of it.

AITA?

Eek! It’s easy to see why she feels like that, but what a tough thing to deal with.

Let’s check out how the readers over at Reddit would handle it.

Here’s someone who gets it.

This person suggests being upfront with him.

For this reader, there are no winners.

As this comment explains, it’s never a good idea to give your number out like this.

She created a giant mess, and it’s time to clean it up. She needs to be honest and then block his number.

If you liked that post, check out this story about a customer who insists that their credit card works, and finds out that isn’t the case.