I don't know if, when people reach a certain age, they just don't care what they say to people, or if it's senility, or if they just don't care about the feelings of others.
The first story happened today, the second a few years ago. I lump them together because it's the same thing....
(bg, I'm a cashier at a small grocery store)
So this morning, I was working down a line, mostly small orders. I was booking along at a good clip, cheerful, having a good morning. As I was ringing out a woman about my age, I saw that the customer behind her was an elderly man that I recognized; he lives in my town, shops with us regularly. So I smiled at him, said something like "Good morning" or "Hi there". As my current customer went to pay me, the old man said "Well, have you been putting on some weight or what?".
A couple people in line laughed, the woman I was waiting on gave me a look, she was mortified for me, kinda eye-roll "omg" expression.
Seriously? When is it okay to say something like that to someone??
For the record, I am 5'7" and have been around 140 lbs since my daughter was born 6 yrs ago. I'm average, healthy, proportionate. No major loss or gain, ever. Side-note, our company is in the process of switching uniform companies, so we do not have aprons at the moment. I am rather, er, chest-heavy, so without an apron's cinching properties, my shapeless work polo-shirt kinda balloons around me. So I can see how I might've looked "bigger" than usual. BUT! Who the hell thinks it's okay to say something like that?? Ever. To Anyone?
I just said to him "Well, that's not a very nice thing to say" and maintained silence throughout his transaction, got him outta there as fast as I could!
But it just totally wrecked my day. ('cept for when I told this story to the cute new stock-guy, who told me I have nothing to worry about, that I am (and I quote him: ) "prime" :P That made my day lol
Anyway, reminded me of this little gem from a few year ago...
An elderly woman asked me "Are you the girl who used to live on <my old street>?" I answered that yes, indeed, I did live on <that> street, and that I remembered she lived on the corner; I'd see her on the porch when I took my kids for walks.
She said "Hmm, funny...you are not as pretty as I remember you."
I don't wanna hate people. But people make it so easy to hate them....
The first story happened today, the second a few years ago. I lump them together because it's the same thing....
(bg, I'm a cashier at a small grocery store)
So this morning, I was working down a line, mostly small orders. I was booking along at a good clip, cheerful, having a good morning. As I was ringing out a woman about my age, I saw that the customer behind her was an elderly man that I recognized; he lives in my town, shops with us regularly. So I smiled at him, said something like "Good morning" or "Hi there". As my current customer went to pay me, the old man said "Well, have you been putting on some weight or what?".
A couple people in line laughed, the woman I was waiting on gave me a look, she was mortified for me, kinda eye-roll "omg" expression.
Seriously? When is it okay to say something like that to someone??
For the record, I am 5'7" and have been around 140 lbs since my daughter was born 6 yrs ago. I'm average, healthy, proportionate. No major loss or gain, ever. Side-note, our company is in the process of switching uniform companies, so we do not have aprons at the moment. I am rather, er, chest-heavy, so without an apron's cinching properties, my shapeless work polo-shirt kinda balloons around me. So I can see how I might've looked "bigger" than usual. BUT! Who the hell thinks it's okay to say something like that?? Ever. To Anyone?
I just said to him "Well, that's not a very nice thing to say" and maintained silence throughout his transaction, got him outta there as fast as I could!
But it just totally wrecked my day. ('cept for when I told this story to the cute new stock-guy, who told me I have nothing to worry about, that I am (and I quote him: ) "prime" :P That made my day lol
Anyway, reminded me of this little gem from a few year ago...
An elderly woman asked me "Are you the girl who used to live on <my old street>?" I answered that yes, indeed, I did live on <that> street, and that I remembered she lived on the corner; I'd see her on the porch when I took my kids for walks.
She said "Hmm, funny...you are not as pretty as I remember you."
I don't wanna hate people. But people make it so easy to hate them....
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