just plain rude

[Food Lady]

I'm cashiering today and I had this young mom a while ago. I said hi and got no response. In fact, I got no response, period. The whole transaction. She kept looking straight ahead, away from me the whole time, even when she held the money in my general direction. She didn't respond at all to my final goodbye, but instead just walked off. If I'm having a bad day, I at least respond to greetings in some manner.

[iradney]

Gosh, that's just WRONG. I can't imagine doing that on my worst day, let alone a bad day....*HUGS*

[TheSHAD0W]

Congradulations! You've made your first sale to a zombie!

[raudf]

Even on my worst day, I'd at least nod my head in acknowledgement. Though I have to wonder if she might not have been hearing impaired (maybe not fully deaf, but lessened hearing?) and didn't feel like bandying about?

[Merriweather]

I'm cashiering today and I had this young mom a while ago. I said hi and got no response. In fact, I got no response, period. The whole transaction. She kept looking straight ahead, away from me the whole time, even when she held the money in my general direction. She didn't respond at all to my final goodbye, but instead just walked off. If I'm having a bad day, I at least respond to greetings in some manner.

Since she didn't go out of her way to say or do anything rude, but was just rude in her lack of any interaction with you, i would tend to give her the benefit of the doubt. Could be a hearing problem, or could be that she was so focused on something she simply was on "auto-pilot". Someone who has just received very bad, unexpected news can act that way - death of a loved one, bad news from their doctor, husband is leaving, etc.

I can think of a few times in my life I've had a shock bad enough that if I had to go out to a store, I couldn't even acknowledge a greetiing for fear that if I spoke at all, I might burst into tears. I'd like to think I'd have at least nodded or something, but a few times, I may have been so wrapped up my shock that I was pretty much a zombie for a while.

[morwynskya]

I deal with a lot of folks with social anxiety disorders - one is a regular customer who, after ten years, finally managed to say hello. I felt like I was witness to a miracle.

[Syriilord]

And of course, if you had done the same, she would have flown off the handle, demanded a manager and screamed about how rude you were.


One rule for them, the complete opposite for us.

[Jester]

This woman very well may have been a rude, standoffish, condescending asshat.

Of course, it is also possible that she was just having a really awful day, and there are days where, quite honestly, social interaction is the last thing you want.

I am not defending her, merely playing my usual role of Devil's Advocate to point out that there are a few possibilities for how she acted. I am a very social and sociable person, but on a few of my worst days, I have actually been that zombielike.

[Food Lady]

^ Sure, that happens. I understand. I am like that when in pain. A simple acknowlegement of my greeting would have sufficed. Instead, she glared at me, then refused to look at me at all for the rest of the transaction.

Quoth Syriilord: And of course, if you had done the same, she would have flown off the handle, demanded a manager and screamed about how rude you were. One rule for them, the complete opposite for us. :-)

Exactly.

[Teskeria]

It's possible (though unlikely) that she was afraid if she said anything at all she would spew.

[sms001]

Totally off-putting, for sure. I was gonna Devil Advocate too, until you mentioned the "glare" in the follow-up post.

[Food Lady]

Guess I should've been clearer.

[Syriilord]

Even on my worst of days (and I'm talking so nauseous that even opening my mouth is likely to induce vomitting, rare as me being out in such a state is), I will at least attempt to smile and nod in acknowledgement to a person greeting me.


But that's me. I've been on the otherside of it and, while not religious, I am a firm believer in the whole 'Do unto others' thing.

[FormerCallingCardRep]

Not defending her, but another possibility is that she could have had a form of Autism.

[telecom_goddess]

Not defending her, but another possibility is that she could have had a form of Autism.

I was going to say that but you beat me to it.