today's sighting

[KellyHabersham]

*This happened after I'd gotten off work, and while this woman is not an SC, the way she acted definitely was, and bothers me a bit*

"Linda" is a somewhat regular library customer, she goes to the same church as I do, and while we aren't best friends or anything, we get along well enough. She happened to be dropping things off at the library today as my mom was coming to pick me up, and said "Hi" when she saw me. I returned the greeting, but because her car was between us and the engine was running, it was hard for me to hear/understand her, and I guess she misheard my trying to explain that I had gotten of my shift and was going home. (I was also trying to keep an eye out for my mom's van, because a lot of customer's cars seem to look like hers)

I don't know what exactly happened, but "Linda" said "I was just trying to say hi to you as someone from my church. I won't bother you then!" and sort of stomped off. And I felt really bad about it, because I don't want people to think I'm being rude or unfriendly, but if I'm giving the wrong answer to something, or if you can't hear/understand something I said, TELL ME this instead of getting upset and stomping off.

I guess the only thing I could have done differently was to have moved closer to where "Linda" was standing, but I also know that she can be overly sensitive and take things the wrong way.....she'd commented to me before about one of our then-circulation desk staff, and that person was NOT like what "Linda" was saying she was.

[NecessaryCatharsis]

"If what I said to you can be taken two ways, and one of them upsets you, I meant the other one."

[KellyHabersham]

"If what I said to you can be taken two ways, and one of them upsets you, I meant the other one."

That's how I'm trying to look at it, but then again, I can't figure out what "Linda" was thinking I'd said that she got so offended. So I figure that if this incident comes up the next time I see her, I might explain that I have some hearing-related issues, so I might not always hear what you say correctly, and give the "wrong" response.

[sms001]

"If what I said to you can be taken two ways, and one of them upsets you, I meant the other one."

From the other side of the equation: "If what you said can be taken two ways, and one of them upsets me, I'll choose that one, because I like drama."

All too true of far too many people, sadly.

KH - I don't know if I'd wait on that "if this... comes up." I'd definitely approach her, if only b/c the two of you seem to overlap in two places. I wouldn't apologize or mention the hearing, just a straight-up 'I think we miss communicated the other day because it was kind of loud...'

[KellyHabersham]

As it turned out, Linda called my mom last night regarding some church committee business, and asked if I was okay - said she'd run into me outside the library earlier and I'd seemed really grumpy and abrupt. (not sure how/why Linda interpreted it that way, though)

Anyhow, my mom explained about my hearing issues, and I guess Linda has some of that too, so she understood and realized it was a communication problem, not my being purposely rude.

*I will admit though, that I don't like to talk to church members about the library/my job there, because my mom's given off the impression that I have to work a lot more than I actually do.

[MoonCat]

She may have interpreted you telling her that you were just getting off work as "don't bother me, I'm not working now." Especially if she's the kind that's always getting offended by remarks that weren't intended to be offensive.

I speak from experience with people who are overly sensitive to a lot of things.