Trying to be Friendly

I made a trip to the gym tonight. The gym and I have a love/hate relationship in the winter. I hate HATE to go to the gym and to change into cold clothes that have been in my car all day. I think I'd rather spend an evening with Ann Coulter (she just seems plain mean). So I muster up the energy to go, to change, and to workout. I even have to workout without my IPod because I left it charging at school. I'm thinking, 'ok, it'll be fine without music. You can be present with the people around you.' AT THE GYM.

A little context here...it took me a few years to use the weights at my gym because I felt like there was always a swarm of meat heads hanging around. Now I just blare a little Amy Winehouse and ignore the grunting and sweating. Today, of course, I don't have my IPod. I also picked out a pair of shorts and a shirt that were just a little too tight (hence the reason I'm at the gym, duh). So when I walk out into the weight area, I take a peak in the mirror just to wiggle around a bit and to make sure I'm not a walking wedgie. This dude (you know who you are, dude in a green baseball hat) basically calls me out for looking in the mirror. Here's how it goes:
Rude dude: Checkin's yourself out in the mirror, huh.
Me: Yeah, I'm just..[mumbles something inaudible even to self]
Rude dude: Checkin yourself out, huh huh huh
Me: Hey, every body looks in the mirror
Rude dude: huh huh huh
Me: lifts weights uncomfortably, looks for chance to drop weights on dude's foot

I walk over to the other side of the gym. In between sets, I'm pausing while I doing some reclined lunges (or something) and Rude Dude returns.

Rude Dude: D'you find a mirror on the ceiling?

At this point I'm thinking A) he must be in high school B) maybe this guy just has some lousy game C) I will never go to the gym without my IPod again. Forget being present....

I do a little steaming and lifting and imagine what I could say if I were really bold. I imagine asking him if he's trying to be friendly and take the appropriate measures to educate him in the proper way to interact with others. I think about using I statements. He is still lurking around near by. I think about using cuss words. I think about super gluing his top lip to his nose. I think about showing him God's love. I think about Mr. Pete getting in his face. And then....

He apologizes. He says:"Hey, I'm sorry if I embarassed you, I was just play'n." And then I said, "It's OK, you're fine." What kind of answer is that? No superglue, no cuss words, no God's love, just some awkward wierd whatever.