Please stay away from me!

[Rine]

I had a reaaaaally creepy, scary customer today.

A man with an orange shirt and camo pants approached me. He was really skinny and I noticed right off the bat that he was twitching and blinking a lot. Okay...a bit weird, but then he started to talk to me...

SC: Heyheyheyhey.
Me: Um...yes?
SC: *points to a nearby family* Look at those *bleepbleeps*. We should have let *bleep* bomb their country up so we wouldn't have to deal with them.
Me: Uuuuh.
SC: So, what do you have to say?
Me: I have no opinion, sir. Have a good day. (I start to walk away)
SC: You have to have an opinion! What do you think of the *bleepbleeps*? (He follows me)
Me: Nothing! I have no opinion.
SC: What? C'mon...What do you think of the *bleepbleeps*?! (He continues to follow me around)
Me: Please stay away from me!

I said it loud enough that people were looking over at me. The guy eventually got a clue and left without another word and went into the mall.

I have never, ever had someone approach me and hand over such a disgusting opinion. I didn't want it. I didn't share his opinion. And it was really scary when he kept following me.

Note: I did not want to post what ethnicity the guy was refering to or who should have bombed up their country. It isn't toooo relevent to the story and I don't want to get things all political. This was just a freaky, scary guy sharing his unwanted opinion...Also the word he was using to describe the family was very nasty, IMO.

I told my manager and he told me just to tell him if I see that guy back in the store again.

[rerant]

I was out having a few drinks with friends last night and went outside for a cigarette. Some guy was out there and asked me, "So, ya hear about Obama winning the Nobel Prize?"
I said yes, and that that's all I knew about it, not why he was awarded it and directed my attention back to the pebbles on the ground.
Him: "Bet they only gave it to him cuz he's the black president."
Me: "Ok."
Him: "Whadda you think about it?"
Me: "Not much."
Him: "You don't think someone else would have been more deserving?"
Me: "Doesn't interest me."

He kept pushing until I went back inside. Some people just WANT to get into a debate. I, personally, have no interest in those sorts of conversations with strangers whatsoever.

[Jay 2K Winger]

Some people just WANT to get into a debate. I, personally, have no interest in those sorts of conversations with strangers whatsoever.

They either want to have a debate, or they want validation for their opinion by hearing someone else agree with them.

Me, personally, when someone starts talking politics at me when I'm at work, I just let them ramble with only the occasional grunt-mumble of acknowledgement (the equivalent of "yes, I can hear you talking"), but if they ask for my opinion, I say something like "I don't like to discuss politics." Because it NEVER goes well.

[crashhelmet]

I was in a bar tonight to watch Monday Night Football and there was a woman going on and on spewing political propaganda. I asked the bartender to turn the tvs up to drown her out.

CH

[fireheart]

Were the camo pants pink by any chance?

as for the whole political propaganda argument, I get it a LOT at work, mostly because of the plastic-bag-free crap. Because it was a GOVERNMENT decision, people feel free to rant endlessly to the lowly peons about it.

I'm getting this close to putting up a sign on my checkout that states "This checkout is political-free. Let's keep it that way." They start an argument, I can point to the sign.

[LillFilly]

Yeah, that those types of conversation are darned if you do darned if you don't. Better to just not get involved.

Although, when someone starts insulting my religion or insisting my opinion is 'wrong' (nice thing about opinions, they're YOURS), I have a hard time disconnecting myself from the debate. Grrr.

What a jerk, too bad you couldn't have kicked him out for innapropriate behavior.

[chainedbarista]

it seems that you could have had him kicked out for offensive behavior, with that one comment (bomb the 'bleeps' country...) since it could cost real customers.

that's probably too hopeful, though...

[Salesmonkey]

"Company policy prohibits personal conversations."

[MelodiousBubbles]

"Alright... You want my opinion? You're a creepy bastard who feels the need to validate yourself by thrusting your highly unwanted opinion, whether I agree with it or not, onto people who don't want to listen to you."


I'll stay quiet until they ask for my opinion. The second someone says, "So what's your opinion?" all bets are off and the first thing that pops into my head is what comes spewing out of my password-overrode brain-to-mouth filter.

[Food Lady]

Were the camo pants pink by any chance?

I was waiting for someone to post that. On topic, l've learned over the years to respond with something like, "I don't feel it's appropriate to discuss that now." Because it isn't. I don't know you and I'm at work; my feelings are irrelevant.

[AriRashkae]

Him: "You don't think someone else would have been more deserving?"
Me: "Doesn't interest me."

I'd have been tempted to say that <Godwinned> was definitely more deserving and should have gotten it posthumously, just to see the reaction.

Fortunately for my physical well-being, I'm not able to get out much right now.