Coworker

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Been working at home Depot for two years and nine months as lot attendant. Coworker has been working there longer. He is 24 and I am 40. Been taking testosterone to hormonally transition to male for over six years. A couple of months ago coworker had the nerve to ask me if I had a girlfriend. Answered no. He told me that he had a boyfriend, Javier. Javier was sitting next to coworker in the locker room. Neither Javier nor I nor anyone else reacted. Coworker might have been joking.

Coworker has been approaching me way too often. Last week he had the nerve to tell me that I said that he could be my "friend, no strings attached". But I didn't say that. Coworker punched me in the arm (playfully). I should have told him not to do it again, but "pick your battles" and "team player". I am autistic and I suspect that he has a psychiatric diagnosis causing him to be socially awkward. Coworker almost hit me with a forklift when I was the spotter. When I asked him to slow down he said he was in a hurry to leave work. He has called me "crazy". Then last week he called me on the PA to load 15 bricks, but plenty of employees were stronger and closer in distance than me. When I told him lot attendants don't hear announcements because they are usually in the parking lot, coworker had the nerve to tell me that he would ask a cop to call an Amber Alert. "Do not do that and that is not funny", I said. "Lighten up. Then you can give me your
phone number ", he had the nerve to tell me. I did not give him my phone number.

The next day I finally asked him to stop bothering me. "It's all good," he answered. Both of us were calm.

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If he keeps bothering me I don't know what to do. For all I know he might be having sex with the boss and if I tattle on him the boss might take his side and fire me. ("At will" employer). He could deny he said anything. Home Depot has video tapes but the man has no access. Only loss prevention looks at the video tapes for illegal activity. Home Depot does not require *due diligence*, *due process* or *critical thinking*. Just "do your best". And I don't think the "best" of some of the managers, is that great. Everyone has subconscious biases.

What does "friends, no strings attached" mean?

Does it sound like he has a crush on me or he just has a psychiatric diagnosis?

What do you think about the "lighten up" comment?

What do you think about him asking if I have a girlfriend?

What do you make of this situation?

'Friends, no strings attached' means they don't expect anything from you, they just wish to be friends.

It sounds like he's awkward as f**k but views you as someone who might be willing to be his friend. Perhaps he thinks you're on a similar wavelength, so to speak.

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annoying alberto and i are both socially awkward. and of course, we have other similarities. however, that does not mean that i am willing to be his friend, nor does it mean that we would be compatible as friends.

hmmm.. yes , he is trying to be friendly..but in this world,, and repeated past stressors you have been through,
based on some of your previous writings on WP .You sre entitled to have ananxious outlook on people asking those questions, All this stuff that you end up interacting between yourself and others of all kinds is Growth .
These days things can be hard to take as "just surface" impressions as possible warnings of potential BS .
You sound like you have a good appraisal of the circumstances . If it feels uncomfortable on any topic he asks about , that you are not sure about( with him). Just maybe say ,Not feeling comfortable talking about that yet . But shift the topic back onto him . And maybe inquire about his interests or stuff. ? . At a distance
( kinda like turning the tables around in the convo) carefully. ., Cause you cant be having things interfere with your employment ?
I think exploring possibilities, (in the right frame of mind). Could be a good thing ? " No Risk No Gain"?
[Just offering an opinion]