There is such thing as a free lunch . . .

. . . but what does it mean?A guy who works at my favorite restaurant wouldn't take my money and bought me lunch today. I'm sure he was just being nice to a regular customer, but part of me wants to run away screaming and never eat there again. Yes, I have an irrational fear of such things.I have the morning off on Tuesdays, so this morning I went to get my hair done for its once-every-two months trim and highlights. Afterwards, I treated myself to lunch at one of my favorite spots, Noodles & Co. in Broad Ripple. I like the restaurant because it's inexpensive, pleasant, and the food is very good. I'm a pasta addict, and they feature different types from Asian to Mediterranean to plain old mac and cheese.I eat there often because it's close to the high school I teach at on Mondays and close to the post office, bank, grocery store, etc. where I generally go to run errands. A cheerful guy who usually mans the cash register always smiles and says, "nice to see you again." I suppose I smile and just order my food, not because I'm rude but I'm not one to make small talk. I figure, nice guy, I'm sure he says that to all the regulars, especially nerdy women who always eat alone with a book and therefore are probably in need of a kind word from a stranger.So today he rings up my food and I take the money out of my wallet and he pushes a button and the total comes to $0.00. He said, "You're a regular, and I don't mind buying lunch every once in a while," or something to that effect. I thanked him and hoped I seemed properly grateful and not rude, because I was just a little take aback and wondered for a moment if I should insist on paying.So I seriously doubt he's hitting on me per se. He's got to be at least 10 years younger, and, let's be realistic, in his business it is smart to be extra nice to customers so they come back. But there's something about anything remotely similar to being hit on or ambiguous enough that I'm not 100% sure that makes me want to run away screaming and never come back. In fact, my fear of being hit on is so strong that it's a wonder I've ever ended up in a relationship at all, let alone being married. (The guy did see my wedding ring, right? I hope?)I'm not sure exactly where that comes from, but it must date back to my college days when I was younger and cuter and had no wedding ring to deter guys and went to parties and such where I was in more danger of being hit on. It's not like I was actually hit on that much, because I sometimes had a steady boyfriend in tow and I think I have this "don't hit on me" aura that usually drives guys away. Either that or they're just not interested.But every time some guy at a party would come up and make small talk, naive me, I would think, "hey, he's interested in what I have to say." Then he say something that could only be interpreted as a pick-up line, and I would immediately get paranoid. No, he's not interested in anything I have to say, maybe he doesn't even think I'm attractive, but I look desperate or lonely or tipsy whatever makes for an easy lay.So silly me, I'm almost 40 and I still can't take a compliment from a man other than my husband without wanting to run away screaming.It's almost as bad as when the guy came up to shake my hand and give me a bouquet of flowers when I was about to sing the "Lamb of God" at Mass one day. Perhaps he was just being nice and appreciated my singing, but I was weirded out (oh no do I have a stalker) and hid in the sacristy after mass while one of the eucharistic ministers took the flowers to the Virgin Mary altar. Actually, sad to say, that is probably more smart than paranoid. How do I know he wasn't a crazy stalker?At any rate, since the times anyone does anything even remotely similar to hitting on me only happens once every few years, I suppose I'm inclined to overreact when it does happen. ;)