Advice for avoiding "That Guy" at work

[primushead]

Ok, I'm pretty sure everyone has run in to this guy at their job/office...whereever.  

Let me give you the rundown.  Here at the Inn on Biltmore Estate, everyone I work with is pretty cool.  "How's it going?" and "What'd you do last weekend?" are just a couple of the common small talk questions between me and my fellow employees.  And there are the few that I bond with well, and thus, we hang out every now and again outside of work.  

But, there's this one guy.  This demi-chef who works in the kitchen downstairs who is the most clingy, attention starved, douchebag in the entire company.  For the last 5 months, he's been lobbying for us to hang out sometime, and I've been avoiding him as best as I can...making up sick relatives that don't exist, pretending to be broke etc.   And it's not just me; he does it to everyone that works there, who avoids him just like me.

My question is, can't some people just take a hint?  When you get avoided by everyone, can't you just stop asking?  I really want to stop making up an excuse every saturday in order to get him to stop fucking asking if I want to go hang out.  GAHHH!!!

Sorry.  Just needed to vent.  I'm really not an asshole, I'm really just not wanting to hang out with this guy.  Should I just be like, "dude, I don't like you, go away"?  I'd like to...but I have to work around him daily.  Awkward.  

[bearass]

there is no avoiding that guy there will always be someone thats nice to him and he'll hang around. unlike you i work with all douchebags and only a few cool people

[primushead]

unlike you i work with all douchebags and only a few cool people

Ouch.  Where do you work, the White House?  Ba-Zing!

[Angry Ewok]

Sounds like the guy is lonely.

[EC]

that's what i thought, too, angry ewok urges.
but man, it's TOUGH to try and be the one to befriend the guy that you know is lonely, when he's really socially awkward and weird.  it sounds shitty, but let's be honest about it.  

there's no avoiding the situation, gregg, but maybe if you look at it less as an uncomfortable situation, but more as something you can handle.  you don't have to go out with the guy, so every time he asks, you can just say "sorry man, i've got other plans."  know what i mean?  no big deal.  some people are just socially awkward.  

[Angry Ewok]

Okay, then my best advice would be to keep your iPod earbuds in whenever you know he's around... I do it to my boss and coworkers all the time. Normal people don't want to interrupt you if they feel you're "in the zone"...