Old-ish man on the route to the Co-op who keeps saying hello

[RogueFemale]

I moved house last week and already have noticed this man. He lives on the short (7m) walking route to the local Co-Op. He's maybe mid 60s, tall, heavy build. He is always standing outside his front door, and he loudly says hello every time I go past. I ignore him.

I'm 60 and am used to being invisible.

So it's not a leering hello. I also thought maybe it was accidental he was standing outside before, or something, and just a cheery 'local' hello.

But I went past twice today (to Co-Op) and he was there both times, hello-ing, and I'm finding it quite weird, that he's always standing outside his front door.

I'm going to be going to the local Co-Op a lot, so what do I do?

AIBU to continue to ignore him and just doggedly go past for years pretending he's not there?

Maybe he's lonely, maybe he does have MH issues but that's no reason not to say hello.
It makes me sad that people can be so uncaring.

@Yourusernameyourusername Yes, and thank you for understanding

My grandad live in supported accommodation in a town centre, he’d go sit on the bench nearby on The high street and spend HOURS talking to passers by. I’d often walk past the bench on my way to the shops as I knew he’d probably be there and I could stop for a while and say hello. NEVER occurred to me that he looked mentally ill or like a pervert with desires for random women. I don’t think normal people think that way

Its perfectly normal where i live in the SE also

In what way is he “insisting”? Did he object loudly, chase OP along the street?

No.

An older woman who lives round the corner from me is often out at the front of her house leaning on the wall and chatting with whoever goes by, I always used to say hello and this developed into chats and she is fascinating to talk to.

And we are within our right to tell her to stop being silly. MN is an open forum and posters don’t HAVE to cater to the desires of the OP.

When my grandmother died, he and their old dog on dry warm days would sit by his gate and say hello to passers by.

Sometimes people would ignore him at first but then would say hello and hen they had seen him a few times, others immediately said hello to him and some would stop for a brief chat and pat the dog.

School children were the best and would always be friendly and sometimes offer him sweets because children instinctively knew he was a dear, sweet man who didn’t want to sit indoors after his wife died.

You sound like you think you’re terribly important and it’s sad you can’t manage a simple hello to someone who is doing absolutely no harm.

Jesus Christ! I’ve heard it all now! Just say hello back! You sound mentally ill never mind the poor friendly man!

Creepy because he says hello?

Does he have his cock out as he says it?

If not you’re massively scraping the barrel and should perhaps speak to someone if you think this makes someone creepy

I don't think you're rude OP
If you don't feel comfortable saying hello then don't
Maybe wear some headphones and play some music so that you can't hear him

I suspect the OP was hoping for lots of posts suggesting he be reported to the police and many other agencies - and maybe a suspended sentence and a mention on the sex offenders register?

Don't say hello if you don't want. Of course you don't have to, especially if you have bad vibes/feel creeped out.

Nobody's picked up on the trans-identifying men?

So is he dressed as a woman @RogueFemale

Like the rest of us?

You know absolutely nothing about this man. For all that you know, he would love to be at work, interacting with other people. Just, perhaps, he isn’t able.

I’m from an area where elderly men would catch the bus all day simply to have people to talk to. Working class mining town. Single men who just didn’t want to be sat in a house on their own all day.

OP is perfectly within her rights not to want to engage but why be so furious about it? He’s actually done nothing wrong.

I wonder if the misers will look back at their nastiness when they’re the old lonely ones who don’t have a conversation with another human from one day to the next.

My sister has learning difficulties and says hello to everyone and anyone she can. Most of the time, she is ignored. It’s fine, it just makes me sad. If someone just said ‘hi’ back to her, it would literally make her day. Little things like that matter to her a lot.

Such a depressing OP.

But also, a positive response as basically everyone has told the OP she should just say hello back to the person greeting her. It makes me feel better to see that people like the OP who are weird and rude are in the minority.

He's probably lonely might have learning disabilities. Just say hello back.

Oh boy someone said hello call the FBI the army Interpol I don't know but this needs to be dealt with urgently.

I’d be more concerned of the woman watching a man all day everyday while he’s on his property. Just say hello and carry on about your day! Saying hello doesn’t make someone mentally ill, maybe just a polite neighbour who likes fresh air. Even if he is mentally ill, so what a friendly hello is still ok

Perfectly viable option.

No need whatsoever to post about someone they know absolutely bugger all about.

Why would you do that? I wonder. Not.

There’s a house near me, the guy obviously has learning difficulties (he’s probably in his fifties by now). I’ve been saying hello to him for the past fifteen odd years. He’s says hello to every person who passes by. Does this man say hello to others?

Your responses are so odd.

Keep on and on - so what. He’s saying help not slapping her across the face.

Whats your problem with him not working?! Maybe he does. Despite the fact OP said he’s there all day every day, it turns out she doesn’t actually know if he is.

I suppose OP doesn’t owe him politeness. But then she can’t expect politeness back, from anyone.