“What’s up with the guy who’s harassing you?”
“What? Someone’s harassing you?”
“You didn’t even know?”
The two friends looked questioningly at Hilda, who was sitting across from them. The woman, in her mid-forties, adjusted her glasses before speaking. She enjoyed the attention, though she pretended that the eager gazes weren’t what motivated her.
“Well, I took care of that bastard for good yesterday.”
Her childhood friend ran both hands through her fiery red hair.
“Don’t keep us in suspense! What did you do? Did you finally report him?”
“What?!” the third friend shrieked, nearly choking on the fizzy drink she had ordered with lunch.
“Shhh,” the redhead hushed her. “Even the waiters are staring at us.”
“Then fill me in,” the plump-handed woman whispered, clasping her hands together as if preparing for prayer.
“It started years ago,” Hilda began slowly. “One time, I wandered into his newly opened pet food store. Since he was a good-looking guy, we chatted a bit, laughed, and in the end, he gave me a gigantic discount on everything I bought for my cats.”
“Uh-huh…” the plump-handed woman huffed, signaling that she was listening intently.
“Later, he added me on one of the social media sites, and since then, he hasn’t left me alone,” Hilda declared dramatically.
“Oh my God,” gasped the friend who had been unaware until now. “And what does he do?”
“Every few months, he sends me the catalog, accompanied by some ridiculous message.”
“Like what?”
“It depends on the occasion. For Women’s Day, my name day, New Year’s.”
“Uh-huh, and?”
“And? On what basis does he think he can harass me? I’m married, for God’s sake!”
“Yeah, that’s true. What a nerve!”
“That’s not even the worst part,” the redhead interjected. “He asked Hilda where she usually has lunch.”
“And?”
“Since then, that perverted pig eats there too.”
“Unbelievable what these desperate losers will do. I bet he’d love a little free roll in the hay. He should be ashamed of himself!”
“Right?!” Hilda snapped. “Why else would he keep sending his pathetic catalog? It’s obvious he just wants to sleep with me.”
“What a creep! Why don’t you report him?”
“I’d need some kind of proof of harassment.”
“You have all those messages.”
“I can’t just walk in and say: ‘On the occasion of your name day, I warmly send you the April catalog. Best regards, Adam.’”
“And the restaurant? That’s pretty suspicious, isn’t it?”
“He doesn’t go at the same time as us. Plus, we don’t even eat there anymore.”
“What about the most recent one?” the redhead asked officiously.
“What most recent one? Do I have to drag everything out of you two with pliers?”
“He asked where I live…”
The plump-handed woman clapped her hand over her mouth in horror.
“Oh my God,” she whimpered. “But you didn’t tell him, did you?”
“Of course not!” Hilda huffed indignantly. “Apparently, he only asked because he offers home delivery, but we all know that’s just a flimsy excuse.”
“I guess his wife keeps him on a short leash, and now he’s losing his mind,” the redhead mused, shaking her head.
“Or a midlife crisis,” the plump-handed woman wheezed, breathless from excitement.
“I was thinking he’s probably been a womanizer his whole life,” Hilda added.
“You might be right! In fact, he probably opened that store just to lure in more women.”
“What a bastard!”
“The kind of people walking around among us these days!”
“What does it mean if I can’t send a message to someone, and it just shows an error?”
“They blocked you.”
“Seriously? Look,” the man held his phone out to his friend.
“Yeah, she blocked you. What did you do?”
“I sent her the latest catalog.”
“Is she hot?”
“I didn’t really notice, but she has two cats, and she spends a lot on them. I figured it’d be better if she bought from me rather than the competition.”
“Hmm, weird. Maybe it was an accident.”
“Maybe,” the pet store owner shrugged.
“Tell her next time she comes into your store.”
“Oh, what’s the point? She still shops here anyway.”