Random stranger sat on my table at a dinner and tribute act show

Well, this is how people used to meet, before the internet was invented.

Ah yes, good old Jenette and Dougie from Manchester rescuing poor old Shirley, they have a jacuzzi don’t you know!

Oh, I'd hate that. I love going to places by myself.
Leave me in peace 😭😂
YANBU

I would have called security and had him thrown out. What a scumbag.

If his table with his friends wasn’t as good as your front row table I’m guessing he was more interested in the seat than you. Probably only chatted to distract you from the fact you’d probably paid more to sit there than he had.

After initial pleasantries with strangers in those table situations it’s ok to shut it down, turn away, look at your phone, a book, a stony faced monosyllabic answer. It’s unsociable but it’s ok.

Some people like chatting with strangers and will know that not everyone else does. They usually give up and move on when it’s clear the other person doesn’t want to chat because they like chatting not being annoying.

Learn some strategies to repel friendliness and people like him won’t spoil your nights out anymore.

With your ‘VIP’ purchase, did you purchase exclusive use of the table? How do you know he didn’t pay VIP prices? He asked politely if he could sit there. Recreational Indignation. In future, purchase half a dozen tickets and you can prohibit anyone from sitting at ‘your’ table.

This is true! It seems odd because society paints lone women in public as objects of pity or ridicule, and so many women don't go out alone because they don't want to be pitied or ridiculed, and so a woman on her own is an unusual thing to see.

I've always enjoyed taking myself out to dinner or to the cinema when I can and I have never told another person this without getting a quizzical look in response. I really encourage everyone reading this to take themselves out to dinner. Take a book or download something you want to listen to or watch if you need to feel occupied. It's amazingly liberating.

I think romcoms/chicklit have a lot to answer for. But blimey @Redgreenfroggy, yours is more like a horror!

I'm fairly sociable but I love going on walks, to lunch, concerts, cinema, theatre etc on my own. It's like a little solo date where I can do exactly what I want, when I want. I love my own company. I work shifts so have a fair bit of free time in the week to do stuff. Some of my friends think it's odd, but I think they're odd for never doing anything on their own.

Quite often I chat to other people while out, however I would not enjoy a random man plonking himself down on the table I had paid for and start banging on about his divorce while I was trying to enjoy a show.

Maybe next time, the OP could hire someone to walk in front of her ringing a bell, calling out Unclean! Unclean!

Do you genuinely, genuinely think that someone should miss an event if they don't have someone to accompany? Or is it just "woman leaves house without a man" moral panic?

It's so sad that you think any woman attending an event on their own deserves pity.

At our local tribute nights you book a seat, or a table of 10. If I was at one of these on my own I’d expect to be sitting next to someone, although I wouldn’t feel obliged to engage in conversation.

IME other women are the worst for not wanting me to sit on my own (I’m straight and they are often accompanied by their DP). I tell them I’m here to listen to the music.

I had to smile at your age gap comment. Since turning 40 I have had no end of 60+ year old men thinking I'm fair game

Urgh, same here. I've had no end of men in their 60s trying to approach me at inappropriate places like the gym when I am clearly trying to work out and have huge headphones on. Trying to get me to take my headphones off to chat to them, asking me if I am single, telling me personal stuff about themselves that I dont want to hear or know. There were absolutely no "signals" there and yet they still do it and try and push themselves on you.

It's so unbelievably rude and inappropriate and people are wrong to talk about signals because they do it even when they are none and its plain as day you dont want to be bothered and they still dont take the hint. Its gross.

I think it’s great you going on your own OP.

How is it odd? Absolutely loads of women do things alone. Holidays, cruises are a big one, shows, cinema, gym, swimming shopping (do you thin shopping alone is odd person who replied to OP?)

It’s actually the thing for young women, 17/18 years olds to go to the cinema alone at the moment, almost like a trend. (I teach people to drive and my young female drivers love doing things alone, the male not so much).

Worst one was at a hotel bar I was staying for business

was having one drink when a guy came over, said hi & imediately sat down

I asked if I could help him

he said it was odd I was sitting myself & that I could use some company

told him I’m here on business and I’m fine thank you & I gestured for him to move

he then told me I was rude so I told him to get to fuck raising my voice

a barman came over & asked if everything was ok

thus guy then said “ah so you are here to shag her then?”

security was waved over & the guy got up & left muttering

hate how some are wankers who go from zero to one hundred

I had to smile at your age gap comment. Since turning 40 I have had no end of 60+ year old men thinking I'm fair game.
Unfortunately "hubby is away" can be read as a come on by these chancers as well.
I was thrilled to read you told him to go back to his table.

Ahh the entitled older gentleman, always on the lookout for an available earhole to spout their endless, pointless drivel at and boost their ego. Trouble is as soon as you resist it is part of 'a game' as they try and get you to do what they want. And then you have take things up a notch.

I had this just waiting for a train once. Man sits next to me (loads of other seats),asks if I wanted a chat. I said no and he proceeds to just talk at me anyway.

As Catherine Tate's gran would say 'what a * liberty'.

Yup!!

Yes he absolutely does. People out on their own (especially women) don't want strange men pushing themselves on them for "company". He was doing it for himself not her, if he was truly doing it for her he would have actually asked her if she would like company, not just foisted himself on her and then insisted she fcking dance. Bloody hell.

He's a stupid prick and I hope he doesnt do it again. So sick of men doing this crap

Bloody men always seem to think that a woman on her own is fair game.
Happened to me at the opening night of Cabaret. I was having what I thought was a friendly conversation with the Canadian gentleman beside me, I may even have mentioned my DH, I certainly wasn't giving off any vibes that I was open to any intimate connection and the creepy idiot hit on me. Bearing in mind I'm in my 50s and he was possibly early 60s my radar is switched off to that sort of thing.As we were sitting beside each other, it made the rest of the performance pretty awkward.

Being stood up by a blind date isn't that upsetting - but performative pitying of lone women is. You're part of the problem for calling the OP odd.

Because you’re a silly little woman who can’t go to a restaurant/cinema/theatre/etc without an escort, preferably a male one.

He probably just saw a spot at the front and took a chance. You handled it pretty good, whatever his intentions were.

Not that you should have to, because people should just fuck off, when he asked why you were alone you could say that it’s because you enjoy being by yourself and want to enjoy dinner/show without having to make conversation to give a hint before then having to say fuck off. Hearing your husband was away has maybe made him thought he’ll rescue you from your loneliness.

Creepy as hell. Good you reported him.

Are you sure he didn't ask if the chair was taken?

I suppose the only thing to do is not engage at all & tell people to go away straight from the off?