Dude, where's your floor?

I walked into my building today and the security guard stopped me to show me a piece of furniture that he said was mine.  He gave me paper, I told him I didn't order anything, he said it was my company.  I asked if I needed to sign anything.  This was all communicated in Hindi, and apparently poorly.

A guy standing there looked at me trying to figure out what was going on and jumped in to help communicate to the guy.  I thanked him, still unsure, took the paper, and walked toward the elevator.  The main security guy came out, saw the paper in my hands, said "nonono" took it, then I shrugged and got into the elevator.  The main security guy said something else to me so  I stepped out of the elevator, the english speaking dude  helped translate again and then we got into the elevator.  I pushed my floor and asked him what floor he was going to.  He pushed the floor before mine.

In the elevator he started to small talk me with the standard stock questions:  where you from?  Why are you here?  Where do you work?  What do you do?  You get the point.  He was a younger guy, not unattractive.  He said he worked at Chase bank and took a lot of calls from Boston people.  His name was Amit.  The door opened at his floor, he didn't get out.  The door closed.  I said, "you missed your floor:"  He smiled.

We got to my floor, and he got out with me.  It was only a few seconds later and he said "I'll walk up, my uncle is on the 16th."  Which was weird to me that he pushed the wrong button.  Then he asked if he could have a glass of water. 

"Oh, well, I don't have any filtered water."  I lied.
"That's ok."  He said.

By this time I was at my door with the door open, which unfortunately looked right into my big filtered water cooler completely full.

"Oh, they must have replaced it."  I said  I kept the door open and got him a glass, standing in the doorway.  Just then my phone rang.  It was security.  Security and I always have a 5 minute conversation in 2 different languages and I never know what the heck the point of the call was.  Something was different this time -- after a few minutes he said, "I'm coming" and hung up.

In the meantime Amit was very nice, casual, giving me tips on commuincating with indians "use hand signals!  It helps."  I nodded. 

"Why are you here to see your uncle?"  I asked.
"For Money."  He said honestly.
"Well, I'm going to go grab a drink."  I lied, grabbing my bag and keyes and shutting the door.  I suddenly felt exposed with my living area open.  Just then security came up.  Lots of Hindi resumed.

I walked down to the lobby with security because he kept pointing at me and I suddenly did want a drink. 

In the lobby Amit started talking with the security people.  He pointed at me, they pointed at me, and he said, yes, they said no.  More Hindi.  Voices were now raised.  2 other men gathered around, none of which spoke english apparently.  One looked at me and shook his head, as if in sympathy with my plight, which I knew nothing about.  Finally in the middle of the yelling I said, "Amit, what is going on?"

"They are telling me my Uncle isn't here and I have to go."  I'm not stupid, I knew that he was using me to gain access to the building and security had already decided not to let him up but he must have told them when I walked in that he knew me.  But I was morbidly curious on what was going on and what his motivation was to be there so i decided to stay.  Finally he looked at me and said, "did you want to go for a drink?"

"Yes, I'm going to go next door, you are welcome to join me, but i'm only having one."  I planned to confront him over a drink, try to get out the real story. 

"Are you having beer or wine?"
"I don't know."
"Let's exchange phone numbers."
"Ok" I said, thinking that if nothing else, I'd have some way to track the guy if in the future the apartment building asked questions about him.
"Do you want to go over to another bar?"
"No."
Silence.
"So, you want to go to the bar?  You don't want to order in beer or wine and stay upstairs?"
"No, I want to go out."
"So are you having beer or wine?"  I racked my brain trying to remember if roofies disolved faster in one or the other while thinking does this guy want to date me or does he want one of my kidneys?

"Look,"  I said, going from curious to exasperated faster than I knew possible, "I'm going to have a drink. Right there.  I am having one, then I'm going home.  Alone.  If you want to join me you are welcome.  If not, thanks for your translation help."

"What are you doing tomorrow?"
"Amit, you are being kind of weird."
"I'll get some ATM Money and meet you!" 
"Um, ok."

I sat down at the bar, pulled out my kindle, and hoped I would be left alone in peace.  I got my wish.