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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Being a secret admirer - clever, or just a bit creepy?

134 replies

ThePrague · 20/06/2015 20:55

I've join MN purely to get peeps opinion, as I anticipate that I'll get a fair, honest and measured hearing here compared to forums I normally frequent where it's likely I'll get laughed outta town!

Anyway, I'll try and make this as short as possible without leaving out any vital information:

I'm a guy in my late twenties and have started a new job about a month ago. Incidentally, the job is great but it's not exactly what I'm used to or something which find really fulfilling but jobs and job and hopefully I can move on next year. ANYWAY....

So, on my first week I get ferried across departments, basically to sit with and understand their roles before starting my actual job in the second week. On the third day, I'm sitting with one of the guys as his talking me through what his doing when this girls walks past, I smiled at her and she smiled back. (she must have been off on the second day when I was in her dept).

Now, I'm not stupid, I know she was smiling to be polite. However, I think you know where this is going, so yeah, my heart skipped a beat, literally everything I find attractive, I'm actually amazed I smiled rather than my jaw hitting the floor!

Now, we're three weeks out and I can't stop thinking about her. Massive crush, and the horrible thing is I have never spoken to her, and the chances of being able to engineer the opportunity are slim to none - different departments on different floors, different lunchtime, and on the odd occasion she has been in my office, it's impossible for me to just straight up go and talk to her because it's just going to get people asking questions - it's a very quiet dept. She doesn't seem to know I'm even there :(

The other issue with just talking to her, other than the aforementioned impossibility, is that I'm been burned before, the 'friend-zone' nonsense making it impossible to go further without upsetting things. In short, [i]I don't want to be her friend[/I], to put it bluntly.

I do know bits about her - I'm quite certain she is single, she is popular, respected and appears altogether lovely.

So, after a lot of thought, I'm sitting here thinking the only safe, practical and least potentially creepy option is to become a 'secret admirer'.

IF I go through with this, I had this itinerary in mind:

Week 1 - Leave flowers with a small handwritten note on/in the boot of her car (she sometimes drive her parents SUV), on the days when she finishes later than me. I figured that this is least likely to a) be noticed by anyone else, b) unlikely to come across in any way as creepy, and c) show her that I'm thoughtful and a little brave. In the note I'd say something along the lines of "if you liked the flowers, say thank you on your Facebook (we're not FB friends but it's and open account)", which obviously would give me the go ahead for...

Week 2 - this is where it turns a bit brave. Now, leaving something on her car again will just be a bit one dimensional as I've done it once, so I'd send chocolates to her VIA WORK, so that she'd have them delivered to her department and everyone she works with would see it! The logic being that she would share the chocolates, let on to them about the flowers, and then her colleagues would basically do my work for me by pushing her to keep going. Again, in the note would be the Facebook thank you line to confirm back to me that she is still interested.

Now, at this stage I'm a little unsure of whether to go for a third gift (what else is there?!), or go for the big one...

Week 3 - I would book a table at a nice restaurant, and then send her (again via the post at work) an invitation to a date. The only risk is that I book on night she can't attend. Again, asking her to confirm on Facebook.

What do we think? I'm a little unsure on the Facebook element, but the only alternative is to set-up an email address, but the problem there is that she might be hesitant to share her personal email address, though I suppose she could use her work email address.

OP posts:
LiviaDrusillaAugusta · 21/06/2015 02:28

That's still a bit weird, tbh. If she accepts your friend request, just chat to her about ordinary stuff then ask if she fancies meeting for lunch - the rest of it is too much and still risks sounding a bit odd.

LiviaDrusillaAugusta · 21/06/2015 02:29

Also 'cute' probably isn't a good word to use (unless you aren't in the UK of course!) as its infantilising.

ThePrague · 21/06/2015 02:40

Well yeah I was kind of paraphrasing there, obv not straight away (if at all, she might be weird herself, seems damn unlikely though).

OP posts:
Momagain1 · 21/06/2015 02:40

She isnt impossible to catch up with. You are just overthinking it all trying to make some scripted scenario happen, where you run into her exactly so.

You have an email, a work phone number, her FB, and know when she begins and ends work. Just contact her.

Though your 'she wont be single long' comment sounds like you are giving up before you start.

Springtimemama · 21/06/2015 04:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DoreenLethal · 21/06/2015 07:43

She is not impossible to catch up with! And dont say she is cute.

The thing with all the hearts and flowers stuff is that if she is not interested she now has you down as a creepy stalker and therefore will avoid forever. Whereas if you just say 'hi, noticed you at work and wondered if you fancied a drink one evening' if she says no then you can always pick that up at a later date if she is in any way curious.

The stalking wont make anyone think more of you. If she doesnt like you, it wont change that. If she does like you, then it is you she likes, not the 'stuff'.

cailindana · 21/06/2015 07:48

If a guy didn't want to be my friend, just wanted to go out with me or nothing, I'd tell him to fuck off. Using the term 'friend-zone' is a massive red flag for immaturity.

NotJustaPotforSoup · 21/06/2015 07:58

she's just too much of a good catch frankly!

You don't know her!

Leave her alone until you can work out how to stop putting women on pedestals and start treating them as individuals.

mylifeisgood · 21/06/2015 08:30

But how can you be so certain she is single if you have only been there three weeks? Have you been discussing her with someone? That person either knows her pretty well, in which case they could be an "in" or they haven't a clue. I would suggest the latter seeing as how odd and isolated your office sounds.

Are there no social events?

ShelaghTurner · 21/06/2015 08:44

Email her and ask her out for coffee. That's what DH did to me. I emailed back and accepted, then passed him in the corridor 5 minutes later and we pretty much blanked each other Grin out of embarrassment. Been together 17 years now!

Am amused by posters asking how you know you want to see her when you barely know her. How the hell does anyone get to know anyone in that case. Isn't that the whole bloody point? Confused

ThePrague · 21/06/2015 08:52

I'm starting to get a bit hurt now, as Momagain said I'm just overthinking it because I've let it go too long. For avoidance of further doubt the OP is NOT happening, stupid idea to just avoid msg her on FB which I thought was a bit cheap but people have said here is ok so we're going with that.

Springtimemama - you have it right. The cute thing is something I'll keep to myself then.

Mylifeisgood - I overheard one of the other girls making reference to the fact she had a bf but the girl didn't. I really don't want to go down the route of using her to get to her, that just feels wrong.

I didn't expect this thread to carry on this long :s I'm not going to keep replying at some point as I don't want this to become some sort of experiment.

OP posts:
NotJustaPotforSoup · 21/06/2015 08:56

Good luck. If she does respond positively, just enjoy getting to know her.

Springtimemama · 21/06/2015 09:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ThePrague · 21/06/2015 09:10

Thank you, that's all I want, is to get to know her. It's probably because I'm in a new job and obv I'm trying to change myself for the better with that, so in a situation like this before I'd have just blanked it and thought it's nit worth the hassle, but now I'm trying to be positive and grabbing chances with both hands.

OP posts:
midnightvelvet01 · 21/06/2015 09:13

You don't have to keep replying Prague, as long as your thread is active people will just drop in here & there to add their comments, sometimes they will have read the whole thread, sometimes they will just be responding to your original post. Its normal to stop replying & let the thread die slowly if you like, & you won't be thought odd for doing so.

I hope it all goes well, feel free to update us once you have made your first move :)

FolkGirl · 21/06/2015 09:17

Actually, this happened to a friend of mine. It wasn't sweet, it scared her. She had no idea who it was and called the police. They found out who it was and, it transpired, he did just think she was lovely but didn't know how to speak to her. The poluce warned him off. It left her feeling anxious and him embarrassed.

eddielizzard · 21/06/2015 09:22

you've got a good plan. if it were me i'd be happy with either approach - you asking me directly or a fakebook msg.

i hope it works out.

also, a lot of people don't bother reading the thread, they just weigh in with a response to the op so don't let that bother you. just ignore it.

SagaNorensLeatherTrousers · 21/06/2015 09:42

Why don't you organise an office drinks thing after work one day? Just invite people in your dept and then a few others in hers...when the word gets round it will spread out and then hopefully it means you'll both be there in the evening where you can instigate a conversation.

LuluJakey1 · 21/06/2015 09:52

What Saga said. Organise drinks one night after work- just an hour or so, nothing over the top. Put a notice up in your dept and hers or just mention it to a few people. See if she comes along- if she's interested she will.

Or one morning as you arrive just ask her if she fancies a coffee sometime. Don't make a big thing about it. You don't know her at all or she you.

Edenrose206 · 21/06/2015 10:04

Prague, good luck!! I just wanted to say that I asked a VERY cute guy out for coffee once in New York by leaving a handwritten note on his motorcycle! I had no real chance of meeting him; he lived in the same building as a friend of mine and I'd only crossed paths with him a few times in the lobby. But he was gorgeous! So I summoned my courage and just said that I'd noticed him, thought he had great taste in motorcycles (it was a nice Triumph) and wondered if he'd like to meet up sometime for coffee. I gave him my work number (no mobile ten years ago). I didn't even know his name. He kindly rang me up and introduced himself, thanked me for my lovely note, said it had made his day...but explained that he already had a serious GF. I felt great after his call, he was so nice! No harm done. Sometimes you just have to take the risk. Oh, and my now-DH had a restored 1954 Velocet when I met him, so we talked motorcycles over coffee on a blind date at the Savoy in London. Just sayin! May you win over the lovely girl! Smile

FolkGirl · 21/06/2015 10:05

That's a good idea. And make sure you do invite other people. Someone did this where I worked and I found out the day before that I was actually the only other person going. Intentionally.

I didn't go.

She might be pretty to look at, but you might have nothing in common with her. Get to know her properly.

27inmyhead · 21/06/2015 10:06

I must say op you have taken everyone's comments very well.

ThePrague · 21/06/2015 10:26

Folkgirl - yeah, that's just flat out awful, why would someone do that?! Thanks for the drinks suggestion, but can't see it having any legs and I don't want her thinking I have to get drunk to talk to women, know guys that are like that and they are generally awful people sober lol.

27 - thanks, the point is that it's got me on the right track and I now have a plan, the insight re FB is something I didn't know.

OP posts:
FolkGirl · 21/06/2015 10:56

How old are you?

If a man asked me out for a drink or suggested drinks at work It wouldn't occur to me to think that he had to be drunk to speak to a woman.

A drink can mean one.

SagaNorensLeatherTrousers · 21/06/2015 11:02

Why would it not have any legs? You're new, you want to thank everyone for getting some experience in the dept, it's a common thing to do. Even an introvert (something I identify with) can organise a small drinks no big deal thing. I honestly think you need to put yourself in a position of getting to know her casually before asking her out. You know nothing about her other than you're insanely attracted to her. It truly doesn't suggest you have to be drunk to talk to her, but that you want to get to know everyone, including her.

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