So, was I a super SC or an innocent victim?

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

did you miss the part where the coffee girl stole her change first?

Nope, and that might not matter. In this case it would be the OP's word against the coffee girl's, unless witnesses step up the plate in OP's defense.

[Lace Neil Singer]

I've had someone steal my change once; in a restaurant, I only had a twenty (my meal cost just under ten; I had a light meal as it was a lunch) and the bitch waitress took it and didn't give me my change back. My reaction, however, was to march right up to the manager and tell him that the waitress I had stole my change and I would like it back. Also that I was going to give her a tip, but I won't now cuz I don't tip thieves. I got my change back and never went there again.

As far as handcream guy goes, my reaction would be to say, "Either get out of my way right now, or I scream."

[Jack]

I don't tend to become angry at people, at all, ever, and I got quite upset just reading your story. I imagine I'd have sprayed Hairspray Bitch in the face and pitched the can at her.

If I thought I could get away with it.

[Jester]

Even if someone is into hairspray or hair products or perfume or whatever, to spray stuff, any stuff, on someone without their permission is idiotic. I understand trying to be aggressive in sales, but there are right ways and wrong ways to do this. Spraying a foreign substance on someone without their knowledge or permission to try to sell it is just bad form. It's beyond rude. I have a mouth on me, and I would have certainly let this girl get the full sonic Jester experience had she pulled that stuff on me. Hell, when I get really mad, I don't even yell, I just get really quiet and give them the Death Glare. Whichever tactic I pulled would work....me at my loudest would shame and embarrass her. I have no shame, so wouldn't care about causing a scene, especially since I would be in the right. And the Quiet Voice and Death Stare Combo? Probably would have scared her lunch right out of her pants.

Now, let's discuss Mr. Handcream. Again, I understand aggressive sales, though I don't know that I would use this particular tactic. That being said, stepping in front of you once, I could see. But if, as a salesman, I tried that and the person sidestepped to go around me, I would have to be a complete fucking idiot to step in front of them again. Serioiusly, did he think that would help endear himself and his product to you? Now, if this happened to me, once he blocked my path the first time, I probably would have politely told him I was not interested. Were he to continue in his goal line stand, though, I think I would have fixed him with the Death Glare and told him very simply, "Get the fuck out of my way before you lose the use of your limbs." Or something equally endearing.

I won't lie....I do not miss New Jersey malls.

[Rine]

When I went to the big mall in town last Christmas, I was harassed by someone at a hair booth. At the time, my hair was long to about my hips. She told me, "Oh, nice hair--do you want a sample of shampoo?"

I said, "No, thanks." And kept going. Then, she grabbed my hair as I was walking by. If I wasn't kinda expecting it, I probably would have decked her. I tried to move farther away when I started to walk, but it was the Saturday before Christmas (I think) so the place was PACKED. My sister grabbed her by the wrist and told her to "let the f--- go. Don't you EVER do that again."

And because of that, coupled with my hair getting caught, touched, stroked, etc by objects and people, I cut my hair over the summer. Sixteen inches gone. No one messes with me anymore.

[Jester]

...my hair was long to about my hips. S

I cut my hair over the summer. Sixteen inches gone.

NNOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

[kibbles]

I agree with everyone here, I think you handled everything exceptionally well, I don't know if I would have the patience. You definitely should have reported the coffee girl to her manager.

[Seshat]

Spraying a foreign substance on someone without their knowledge or permission to try to sell it is just bad form. It's beyond rude. I have a mouth on me, and I would have certainly let this girl get the full sonic Jester experience had she pulled that stuff on me.

I'm one of the ones who'd be choking and spluttering and trying to cope with the sudden inhalation of sprayed particles.

I'd love to have someone around who wasn't busy choking who could tell them off.

[Chanlin]

Hairspray has a tendency to trigger my asthma. If that is that hairspray sellers normal approach I'm surprised it hasn't come back to bite her in the ass with someone like me.

[Lace Neil Singer]

I absolutely loathe hairspray, and anyone spraying it on me without my knowledge or permission would get a full verbal smackdown. -.-

[flutes_and_fabric]

Nope, and that might not matter. In this case it would be the OP's word against the coffee girl's, unless witnesses step up the plate in OP's defense.

I agree that I was wrong about that one. I should have told the manager but it was one of those little places in the food court where there were only two people at the place and I didn't have the patience.

When I went to the big mall in town last Christmas, I was harassed by someone at a hair booth. At the time, my hair was long to about my hips. She told me, "Oh, nice hair--do you want a sample of shampoo?"

I said, "No, thanks." And kept going. Then, she grabbed my hair as I was walking by. If I wasn't kinda expecting it, I probably would have decked her. I tried to move farther away when I started to walk, but it was the Saturday before Christmas (I think) so the place was PACKED. My sister grabbed her by the wrist and told her to "let the f--- go. Don't you EVER do that again."

And because of that, coupled with my hair getting caught, touched, stroked, etc by objects and people, I cut my hair over the summer. Sixteen inches gone. No one messes with me anymore.

That reminds me of a few summers ago. I played on a cruise ship (great job, but you weren't really allowed to talk to anyone but the other musicians. Still, payed great and I got to leave the ship.) Anyway, I'd get to get off at most of the islands, even if it was only for an hour (once a week I was allowed to leave for the whole day. I feel sooo bad for the maids and food servers and such, they were busy 24/7). I remember everywhere I went people were trying to braid my hair. I constantly had people asking me if I wanted some. Oh, and ladies (or gents I guess) NEVER wear earrings there because every trip we had stories of someone who went to get their hair braided and instead ended up having an earring ripped out or people climbing the falls and having a little kid come up, rip out an earring, and run. I did the falls climb once and a kid was running his hands through my hair at a point when both my hands were occupied and I knew what he was looking for.

[Cia]

Report the hairspray girl and handcream guy to Mall management. If the management gets enough complaints they might kick the kiosk out.....or not depending on how badly they want the money. If there wasn't a manager at the coffee shop or neither of the employees would claim to be manager write a letter of complaint to the coffee company's HQ.

[Erin]

I dont think you over-reacted. The coffee girl ticked you off by being a moron, the hairspray girl assaulted you, and the handcreme guy was being kind of a jerk, but he probably just picked the wrong person to pick on.

I'd have been demanding hairspray girl's supervisor tho. I have serious scent allergies and am sensitive to some chemicals that are in hairspray. (makes me itch, the scent allergies cause me breathing problems and the itchies)

About 20something years ago, I was walking thru one of the department stores at the mall (Younkers...was originally Brandeis, and might have still been Brandeis at the time) and they had the perfume snipers there. One of the snipers spritzed me with the perfume not once but twice...and I started to have an allergy attack right in front of her. Friend that was with me made the comment "ohmygod! you may have killed her!", and the perfume sniper freaked and ran off. (strangely, not to get her manager...never saw any supervisor, even tho I asked to speak to someone...they never did come to talk to me, so I left)

I was fine, just coughing and scratching a lot and had to go home and take a shower to get the stench of the perfume off (and it didnt want to go. I could smell it for days). The store never did apologize to me for the perfume sniper squirting me without asking. I do remember the snipers quit sneaking up on people with the perfume after that tho. Didnt see the perfume sniper that spritzed me ever again tho.

[Becks]

Hey!! Um...

I swore a little before I moved to NJ, but now I swear more. I've got to work on that.

I won't lie....I do not miss New Jersey.

Fixed it for you.

[Jester]

Fixed it for you.

True enough on that point. I don't miss it. Thanks for the assist!