“Hello” Means So Much More Than It Used To

I’m female. There’s a male regular about my age who usually comes in once a week. He usually comes to me, and we chat and joke around. I’m off work and running errands one day when I see him. We make eye contact and he waves.

Me: “Hey, [Regular]!”

Regular: “What’s up, [My Name]? How are you?”

Me: “Oh, I’m good! You?”

Regular: “I’m doing great! So, what are you up to this weekend?”

We chat for a couple of minutes and then go our separate ways. A couple of days later, at work, my boss approaches and asks to speak to me.

Boss: “So, uh… this is a weird one. I received a complaint about you.”

Me: “What did I do?”

Boss: “Apparently, you were hitting on [Regular].”

Me: “Huh?”

Boss: “I received a complaint that you were being very forward with [Regular] a few days ago.”

Me: “What are you even talking about?”

Boss: “Did you see him a few days ago?”

Me: “Hold on! I wasn’t at work a few days ago. I was at [Place] and ran into him. We talked for like two minutes, no flirting involved. Did this come from him?”

Boss: “No.”

Me: “Then where did this come from?”

Boss: *Pauses* “I was called by a female relative.”

Me: “His mom?”

Boss: “Um…”

Me: “I’d better not be in trouble for this.”

Boss: “Oh, not at all. I just thought you needed to know. She was pretty angry.”

Me: “That I walked up to her grown son on my own personal time and said hello?”

Boss: “Apparently.”

Heaven help any girl that he actually likes enough to date!