I'm sorry, what?
Have you noticed that as soon as you have a child the entire world suddenly notices you while you're out running errands? Somehow having a child makes everyone talk to you. Which is fine when they are telling you how adorable your child is but sometimes it gets really really weird.
Here's four of my most-memorable "what the hell" moments with strangers...
Food Shopping Incident 1: The Old Man
While food shopping one day, an old man came up to us and began talking to Arianna who was about fifteen months old at the time. Then he started touching her - patting her head, squeezing her cheeks. I was instantly pissed - don't touch my kid. I quickly excused us and walked to the next aisle. Where he FOLLOWED us and began talking to her again. Get a hint, old man!! Finally, I wound up saying something rude, he got offended, and I was allowed to finish our shopping in peace, although uncomfortable and on the lookout for him.
Food Shopping Incident 2: The Asshole
After the weird food shopping incident 1, I decided to wake up and go food shopping when the store opened. So when we got to the checkout line the store was still completely empty and so were all the check-out lanes. Of course, a man got in line behind me with one item halfway through my $100 shopping order. Why, I have no idea. Literally all the other lanes were empty. He huffed and puffed the entire time about it taking too long. Finally, my groceries were all rung up and I put my credit card through the machine. The cashier informed me that the machines were running very slow that day, so I just let Arianna write with the pen on the signature pad while I loaded the cart. Well, the man behind me freaked out. Like totally freaked out and YELLED at me to "run the damn card" myself and stop wasting his time by having an infant do it. I was so completely shocked and horrified I just stared at him with my mouth open, while the checkout lady informed him it wasn't my fault that the machine was just slow. He didn't apologize, he just looked at me and said it was "ridiculous." I was so pissed I didn't go to that food store for months.
Food Shopping Incident 3: The I Don't Mind Guy
While checking out at the grocery store a few weeks ago (are you starting to see a trend here?), Arianna struck up a conversation with the cashier. This is routine for her. She likes to ask the cashiers their names and tell them what she picked out to buy. They always ask for her name to which she'll reply: Cinderella, Sofia, or Strawberry Shortcake. Well mid-way through their conversation, the cashier stuck his tongue out at Arianna. Without missing a beat, Arianna put two fingers in her mouth, stretched out her cheeks, and stuck her tongue out at him. Then the cashier turned to me and said "It's okay, I don't mind that she's making faces at me. I guess she's doing it because I stuck my tongue out at her first. I really don't mind. It's okay. It doesn't bother me. It's really okay. I don't mind." On and on like this for like two minutes until I was finished checking out. What the hell?
Beauty Supply Store Incident: The It's Okay Lady
While checking out at a beauty supply store recently, the credit card machine was taking forever. So while we waited, Arianna asked if she could write her name. I handed her a scrap piece of paper from the store reward card I had signed up for and we waited patiently. So then the saleslady started in with an incident similiar to "I Don't Mind Guy." She said "It's okay that she's writing on that paper. It doesn't bother me. I have nieces, so I think it's okay she's writing on it. It's okay, really." Seriously what the hell is up with these people? I gave my child the paper and pen. Why would you have a problem with it?
Obviously there are more, but none I remember in quite so much detail as these four. One major thing I have noticed with strangers in public though is that all the old people want to touch your infant, all the checkout girls want to tell you about their kids, and all the men are impatient. Can't I just shop in peace?
I'd love to read some comments about your crazy experiences with strangers!!
Here's four of my most-memorable "what the hell" moments with strangers...
Food Shopping Incident 1: The Old Man
While food shopping one day, an old man came up to us and began talking to Arianna who was about fifteen months old at the time. Then he started touching her - patting her head, squeezing her cheeks. I was instantly pissed - don't touch my kid. I quickly excused us and walked to the next aisle. Where he FOLLOWED us and began talking to her again. Get a hint, old man!! Finally, I wound up saying something rude, he got offended, and I was allowed to finish our shopping in peace, although uncomfortable and on the lookout for him.
Food Shopping Incident 2: The Asshole
After the weird food shopping incident 1, I decided to wake up and go food shopping when the store opened. So when we got to the checkout line the store was still completely empty and so were all the check-out lanes. Of course, a man got in line behind me with one item halfway through my $100 shopping order. Why, I have no idea. Literally all the other lanes were empty. He huffed and puffed the entire time about it taking too long. Finally, my groceries were all rung up and I put my credit card through the machine. The cashier informed me that the machines were running very slow that day, so I just let Arianna write with the pen on the signature pad while I loaded the cart. Well, the man behind me freaked out. Like totally freaked out and YELLED at me to "run the damn card" myself and stop wasting his time by having an infant do it. I was so completely shocked and horrified I just stared at him with my mouth open, while the checkout lady informed him it wasn't my fault that the machine was just slow. He didn't apologize, he just looked at me and said it was "ridiculous." I was so pissed I didn't go to that food store for months.
Food Shopping Incident 3: The I Don't Mind Guy
While checking out at the grocery store a few weeks ago (are you starting to see a trend here?), Arianna struck up a conversation with the cashier. This is routine for her. She likes to ask the cashiers their names and tell them what she picked out to buy. They always ask for her name to which she'll reply: Cinderella, Sofia, or Strawberry Shortcake. Well mid-way through their conversation, the cashier stuck his tongue out at Arianna. Without missing a beat, Arianna put two fingers in her mouth, stretched out her cheeks, and stuck her tongue out at him. Then the cashier turned to me and said "It's okay, I don't mind that she's making faces at me. I guess she's doing it because I stuck my tongue out at her first. I really don't mind. It's okay. It doesn't bother me. It's really okay. I don't mind." On and on like this for like two minutes until I was finished checking out. What the hell?
Beauty Supply Store Incident: The It's Okay Lady
While checking out at a beauty supply store recently, the credit card machine was taking forever. So while we waited, Arianna asked if she could write her name. I handed her a scrap piece of paper from the store reward card I had signed up for and we waited patiently. So then the saleslady started in with an incident similiar to "I Don't Mind Guy." She said "It's okay that she's writing on that paper. It doesn't bother me. I have nieces, so I think it's okay she's writing on it. It's okay, really." Seriously what the hell is up with these people? I gave my child the paper and pen. Why would you have a problem with it?
Obviously there are more, but none I remember in quite so much detail as these four. One major thing I have noticed with strangers in public though is that all the old people want to touch your infant, all the checkout girls want to tell you about their kids, and all the men are impatient. Can't I just shop in peace?
I'd love to read some comments about your crazy experiences with strangers!!
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