Years ago I was at Webster Hall with my friend. There was this guy I sort of knew who worked there. I had met nearly all the staff from my many visits back then. He was one of those guys who would collect cups and bottles. He seemed cool enough up to that point.
So one night I’m there dancing with a friend of mine and I received a text. It was from this guy, saying, “Hey man, you need to connect me with that girl you are with. If you do that for me, I’ll get you both into VIP.”
At that point I felt uncomfortable, so I looked around and found him watching us from the back. I replied to his message, “No, she’s with me, that’s not going to happen. We don’t need you for VIP.”
He read my message and then responded with, “I’ll get you both kicked out of here right now. Introduce me to her or you are both out.”
Now I was getting upset. I was there with my friend to have a good time and this guy was trying to pressure me into introducing him to her. That felt wrong. I looked back to where he was, but now he was gone.
I had a romantic interest in this woman, I really liked her, and even if I didn’t, I wasn’t going to use her as a bargaining chip to get into VIP or stay in the club. Women are not props, and I was getting really frustrated. Few things upset me as much as men disrespecting women I’m with.
“Go for it. I know people too, and if anything we’ll just go somewhere else, but we’ll still be together and you won’t know her. You don’t get to speak to her. Also, delete my number.”
Silence. No response.
Much later
“Hey man, I’m sorry about that, I was out of line, my bad. So you guys wanna come hang out in VIP? It’s quiet and I can chill for a bit.”
He was trying to shift gears like I would fall for it. “No, I told you already, we are good on VIP. Also, I asked you to delete my number.”
He didn’t bother us anymore after that. I saw him a few other times when I went to the club, but he didn’t approach me. The dude knew that he was wrong for what he did. I don’t know if he got concerned that I’d show his messages to management or that I’d confront him, but he didn’t cross my path again.
Now that friend, she ended up with a possessive, jealous boyfriend who made her cut ties with old friends. I haven’t heard from her in years. I miss her, we were good friends, but it’s her life and her choice. Until she’s ready to reclaim her life, there’s nothing I can do. She’s gone.
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