“Her name is Belle, and you are…” I laughed and said he was kind. I also walked a little faster and did not take the trail that goes down through the woods by the river, opting to stay up by the road where there was fairly steady traffic. This is why we choose the bear. We never know. And I hate it.

I am fed up with the men in the comments who pretend they do not understand the seed of doubt that was planted in your mind by his creepy compliment, when these same men would probably tell their daughters to be careful around men they do not know. 🙄

Why interact with the dog if you are so cautious?

If you can’t make any flirtatious remark, even when she was initiating the interaction, you get where we are now, with a hell of a lot singles who go on dates with random strangers they met online. I don’t know what is worse?? If he would have said “you walk here often?” She would have reacted the same.

I am a woman and until I read comments I didn't know what the problem was. I guess I assumed that the man was an older man and his 'joke' was quiet smart and funny. But if it was your age or a middle age man, why approach his dog in the first place..

Did he not just mean you’re beautiful as in, the meaning of the word belle?

This is a pretty ridiculous example of gaslighting. YOU approached the man, he didn’t approach you… You interpret a conversation that clearly was vague that you don’t actually know the intention, and it’s his fault? And then women wonder why MGTOW is a thing. 

You asked to pet his dog. You initiated the interaction. He then asked if you were up for a little humor. You said yes. He complimented you. Telling you that you are “belle” is not a sexualizing comment unless you take everything you hear to the level of absurdity. In such a brief interaction, I’m sure he couldn’t see your dizzying intellect or your kind heart. If you are this creeped out by men you do not know, maybe you shouldn’t talk to any of them even if they have cute dogs.

Contrary to what most men believe, we actually don’t want nor need compliments from male strangers

Try the same in a smaller French town