Pointing out the obvious

Readers, it's amazing how much unwanted attention one small woman can get when she's just doing her thing.

I was taking a walk this weekend (walking is my fave form of exercise - I walk 3-5 miles between 3 and 4 times a week). Picture it: sweatpants, hoodie, sneakers, CD walkman, hair pulled back. Nothing to call home about, although I've noticed that some guys seem to like the just-rolled-out-of-bed look.

I was standing on the corner of Doheny Drive, waiting for the light to change. There was a taxi parked at the intersection, which I took no notice of at first. I had my walkman set on random, and was flipping through songs as I waited. When I looked up, I locked eyes with the cab driver, who was a fiftysomething man with a beer belly, greying hair and hairy, leg o' mutton forearms. He was pointing at me (through the open window of the cab) and grinning idiotically.

Readers, I'm not sure what this particular gesture was supposed to say. "Look! There is a lone woman standing on the street corner in broad daylight! The fact that she is minding her own business is of no consequence! She must be made aware that I can see her! Attention must be paid! I know, I know...I'll point at her, so that everyone will take notice! God, I'm good. In fact, I'm a genius!"

Other drivers did, in fact, turn their heads to see what he was pointing at. So, since I seemed to have everybody's attention, I made the "loser" fingers on my forehead. Now that gesture has meaning: "That cab driver is being a moron! See, I can point out the obvious too!"

Cabbie didn't break his grin or stop pointing. In fact, when the light changed, he kept his finger on me until he completely lost sight of me. Now, there's a man who needs a new hobby.