6 out of 10 women think like me

As I was walking back to my office from my lunch hour one summer day, a man asked me, “So how was your sandwich?”

I had been eating one about 20 minutes prior while sitting on a park bench two blocks away.

To add to the creepiness of the situation, the man was in his mid-forties, overweight, balding and wearing a linen suit.

I said, “Good, thanks!” even though my intonation made the message seem more like “Go die!”

In an apparent attempt to turn the conversation around, he formally introduced himself at the next light.

For me, this changed nothing.

So he frantically dug through his pockets and produced a rumpled business card. He worked for something called the “Judicial Tip Staff” and he wanted to shake my hand.

While crossing the street, he quizzed me on my favorite lunch spots, favorite bands and favorite movies. Having been unable to elicit a response, as a last ditch effort he yelled, “Do you like dogs? I have a Golden Retriever if you like dogs!” as I was heading into my building.

Once inside, I immediately recounted the whole story to my boss, who advised me, “Hold onto that business card. It might come in handy.”

And right she was because when I got back to my desk, I did what 57% of New York women do and researched him online.

Up until today, I was under the impression that Google-ing strangers was a complete misuse of the Internet. For that reason, I owe Harlequin and their 2008 Romace Report: Confessions a good deal of thanks for exposing this trend as the leading statistic in their press release, “Better Hide Your Baggage; New Yorkers Have No Shame When it Comes to Snooping through Their Partners' Belongings or Online Profiles.”

It turns out – according to Google.com - my lunch escort organized the "Hot Rod Hoedown RNR Rumble 3 " in 2001.

Perhaps that’s why the poor guy seemed so desperate – at least 57% of the women he has spoken to since 2001 have seen that post and likely turned his hot rod (hoe)down.