Attack of the Four-Foot Men

Today at the teachers English class, one of the office assistants who is in charge of feeding the teachers before class, wanted to know if I had eaten. He could have asked me but asked Cherry, my coworker. I answered his question and he kept ignoring me steadfastly and said something to Cherry, this time I didn’t catch the meaning. I asked Cherry and he had said “I don’t know how to talk to her!” That seemed feasible and passable but then thought about how rude that would be in the US! One of my other co-workers told everyone I speak some Indonesian, but still 7 months into my working there, some people are still afraid to approach me, much less make eye contact. These are guys I see almost weekly for the total ordeal that is copying at SMA 3.

Another 4-foot man scenario: I went into the office to make some copies. No, I am not allowed to make my own. I asked for copies and another of the small men looked hesitantly at the machine and said, “But, you see, it is not on.” And I said “Oh, okay. Can we use it though?” “Yeah, but it is dead.” “Oh, okay.” So he and I loiter around uncomfortably, neither understanding the other and a second man (slightly taller) walked in to turn the copy machine on and confirm and reconfirm which pages I wanted copied and how many times. The 4-footer got back to what he was doing before…standing on the counter tying the large glass windows closed with packing string.

This man also delivers letters and announcements to the teachers. He likes to hover in the corner of the teachers’ room at a desk near the water cooler. I feel him cringe when I come near to fill my water bottle. When I smile, he nervously laughs. I wonder if I make these men are incredibly nervous because I am different than them or just much taller than them? I have to watch to see their reactions with other women my height…actually very hard to find at my school.