General Rudeness
I have been noticing lately that people seem to have gotten significantly ruder to me/around me. Now, of course I know rude people exist and always have and will, but I would never have thought grown men and women (professionals at that) would act like an untrained child when let loose in public in the ways I have seen. Below, a few choice examples :)
1. Sunday at the Grocery Store I was purchasing some live lobsters for a lobster bake I was having in my backyard to celebrate the purchase of a huge new grill. I was first in line at the butcher/fish monger and asked for 6 live lobsters. As I was handed the live creatures the women behind me says, "ewww.... those are still alive, you're going to have to kill them to eat them, don't you know they scream when you kill them?" I was a bit shocked at her obvious lack of social skills, and as she was picking out her steak for supper I said, "Yea, because I am sure the cow you're about to eat definetly didn't scream when it was slaughtered."
Yes I was rude as well, but I am not so great at keeping my mouth shut, and damnit I am from new england and I love me my seafood! She then proceeded to follow me to the veggie/fruit section and as I was picking out lemon and corn berate me for insuating that the cow she was going to eat suffered or scream, "I am not a killer like you, I could neeeever kill an animal." and other such obnoxious comments. I of course, told her that the cow was most certainly killed for her sake, and that at least I didn't need someone else to kill my food for me to feel OK about eating it, and at least I knew the lobster would die in a human way, unlike the cow she was planning on eating. She of course continued to follow me to the checkout line and tell the people around me how horrible and cruel I was, "she's going to kill that lobster when she gets home, it's alive right now and she doesn't care!".
Listen lady, this behavior would be rude but understandable from a vegetarian, but you ma'am are eating bloody steak for dinner. Get off your high horse, please!
2. Last week I found myself running into DC to pick up some documents and the such from a property. I parked across the street and was waiting for the walk light to cross "L" street. As the light signaled for me to walk a business man stepped up behind me, used his entire arm to push me back and propell himself forward. I almost fell off of my 4 inch stileto heels and unto the floor. A kind man behind me grabbed my other arm so I stayed upright (I thanked you then, but thank you again!). The man who pushed me didn't even blink and kept walking. I wanted to catch up with him and elbow him in the kidneys before stepping unto the other sidewalk, but realized there was no way to do this in a ladylike and graceful way. So...to you sir, what the fuck is your problem? You cannot just push a stranger to get ahead a few steps. I almost fell down! I am a young women wearing high heels, a skirt suit, and rushing just like you....who the fuck does that?
3. I am a smoker (cigerettes), I know its bad (spare me the lecture), and I do my best to not smoke around those who don't (if I am sitting in none smoking I don't smoke, if I am at an outdoor event and near a bunch of none smokers I dont smoke, etc). However, when I am seated in a smoking area, I will in fact smoke if I feel like it. A few weeks back me and a few girlfriends were having a girls night at a favorite restuarant. The smoking section is of course near the bar, with tables and booths around it. We were all smokers and were having a cigerette with our drinks before we ordered dinner. There quite a wait at the place, and I know some people put down "first available" because its often faster that way, and more likely then not more people want non-smoking then smooking. However, when this family of 6 (2 adults 4 children) sat down in the booth next to us, glared and announced to the hostest, "they are going to have to stop smoking, we have children!" I was pretty surprise. We all moved our cigerettes to minimize the smoke carry over to their table, but didn't put them out. A few seconds later Momma Bear appeared at our table, "Since the hostest won't make you stop smoking I am going to have to. Can't you see we have children with us? What kind of person wants to poison their lungs. You're going to have to put those out, we cannot enjoy a meal when we can smell your nasty smoke.".
One of my friends just burst out laughin, and stated plainly, "this is the smoking section, you should move to non-smoking if you don't want to be around smoke." no apology needed, we're sitting where we should. Nope, Mama Bear disagreed, "theres a huge wait, we HAD to sit here to eat faster, don't yoy see our kids???? They cannot wait an hour for dinner, they're hungry. Now put those out and we can all enjoy our night."
Needless to say, we continued to smoke whenever the mood struck, as we were there for a long time, enjoying a looong meal and lots and lots of drinks. Mom, Dad and brats (no, not all kids are brats, kids who kick the booth, run around, throw things, and scream are brats) continued to demand we stop smoking, friend continued to tell them to move, and the waitstaff was miserable. Everytime our (very nice) server was at their table, "tell them to stop smoking, that is so rude, doesn't this restuarant care about it's customers?" to which the reply was the same, "I am sorry Ma'am this is the smoking section, I cannot tell them to stop. Would you like to be moved to non-smoking when a table opens?".
I have to ask, who was the rude one here?
Anyhow, I fear this post has gotten long, so many people this will be volume 1. Anyone else have a rude story to tell?
:) First Year-
1. Sunday at the Grocery Store I was purchasing some live lobsters for a lobster bake I was having in my backyard to celebrate the purchase of a huge new grill. I was first in line at the butcher/fish monger and asked for 6 live lobsters. As I was handed the live creatures the women behind me says, "ewww.... those are still alive, you're going to have to kill them to eat them, don't you know they scream when you kill them?" I was a bit shocked at her obvious lack of social skills, and as she was picking out her steak for supper I said, "Yea, because I am sure the cow you're about to eat definetly didn't scream when it was slaughtered."
Yes I was rude as well, but I am not so great at keeping my mouth shut, and damnit I am from new england and I love me my seafood! She then proceeded to follow me to the veggie/fruit section and as I was picking out lemon and corn berate me for insuating that the cow she was going to eat suffered or scream, "I am not a killer like you, I could neeeever kill an animal." and other such obnoxious comments. I of course, told her that the cow was most certainly killed for her sake, and that at least I didn't need someone else to kill my food for me to feel OK about eating it, and at least I knew the lobster would die in a human way, unlike the cow she was planning on eating. She of course continued to follow me to the checkout line and tell the people around me how horrible and cruel I was, "she's going to kill that lobster when she gets home, it's alive right now and she doesn't care!".
Listen lady, this behavior would be rude but understandable from a vegetarian, but you ma'am are eating bloody steak for dinner. Get off your high horse, please!
2. Last week I found myself running into DC to pick up some documents and the such from a property. I parked across the street and was waiting for the walk light to cross "L" street. As the light signaled for me to walk a business man stepped up behind me, used his entire arm to push me back and propell himself forward. I almost fell off of my 4 inch stileto heels and unto the floor. A kind man behind me grabbed my other arm so I stayed upright (I thanked you then, but thank you again!). The man who pushed me didn't even blink and kept walking. I wanted to catch up with him and elbow him in the kidneys before stepping unto the other sidewalk, but realized there was no way to do this in a ladylike and graceful way. So...to you sir, what the fuck is your problem? You cannot just push a stranger to get ahead a few steps. I almost fell down! I am a young women wearing high heels, a skirt suit, and rushing just like you....who the fuck does that?
3. I am a smoker (cigerettes), I know its bad (spare me the lecture), and I do my best to not smoke around those who don't (if I am sitting in none smoking I don't smoke, if I am at an outdoor event and near a bunch of none smokers I dont smoke, etc). However, when I am seated in a smoking area, I will in fact smoke if I feel like it. A few weeks back me and a few girlfriends were having a girls night at a favorite restuarant. The smoking section is of course near the bar, with tables and booths around it. We were all smokers and were having a cigerette with our drinks before we ordered dinner. There quite a wait at the place, and I know some people put down "first available" because its often faster that way, and more likely then not more people want non-smoking then smooking. However, when this family of 6 (2 adults 4 children) sat down in the booth next to us, glared and announced to the hostest, "they are going to have to stop smoking, we have children!" I was pretty surprise. We all moved our cigerettes to minimize the smoke carry over to their table, but didn't put them out. A few seconds later Momma Bear appeared at our table, "Since the hostest won't make you stop smoking I am going to have to. Can't you see we have children with us? What kind of person wants to poison their lungs. You're going to have to put those out, we cannot enjoy a meal when we can smell your nasty smoke.".
One of my friends just burst out laughin, and stated plainly, "this is the smoking section, you should move to non-smoking if you don't want to be around smoke." no apology needed, we're sitting where we should. Nope, Mama Bear disagreed, "theres a huge wait, we HAD to sit here to eat faster, don't yoy see our kids???? They cannot wait an hour for dinner, they're hungry. Now put those out and we can all enjoy our night."
Needless to say, we continued to smoke whenever the mood struck, as we were there for a long time, enjoying a looong meal and lots and lots of drinks. Mom, Dad and brats (no, not all kids are brats, kids who kick the booth, run around, throw things, and scream are brats) continued to demand we stop smoking, friend continued to tell them to move, and the waitstaff was miserable. Everytime our (very nice) server was at their table, "tell them to stop smoking, that is so rude, doesn't this restuarant care about it's customers?" to which the reply was the same, "I am sorry Ma'am this is the smoking section, I cannot tell them to stop. Would you like to be moved to non-smoking when a table opens?".
I have to ask, who was the rude one here?
Anyhow, I fear this post has gotten long, so many people this will be volume 1. Anyone else have a rude story to tell?
:) First Year-
posted by First Year at 9:30 AM
7 Comments:
I also consider myself to be fairly polite, but if you're going to be rude to me, well I can be the biggest biatch that ever crossed your path. I love that you guys kept smoking and didn't give in to her ludicrous request!! Hel-lo, it's the SMOKING section!! I would have blown my smoke in that bitch's face and told her the quicker I pollute her brats' lungs, the better off society would be!!
Ughh, rude people!
Today at work, I was asked to lead one of those stupid corporate team-building exercises for various groups of employees. Most people just went through the motions because they had to, but they were at least polite and didn't blame me for any of it. The customer service people actually sat there and refused to participate. Instead, they told me that I was "too young" for them to listen to, and that they shouldn't have to put up with people suggesting they get along with their officemates. Then they complained that I was getting assignments like this (because they're so fun, right) when they had to answer phones all day. I made the mistake of asking why they chose that job, and they actually responded....
"Because I'm good with people."
As an all out lobster whore I am coming to your defense against that idiot in the grocery store. I love lobster. I adore it. I think its the best food on earth and I am jealous that you had a lobster bake and I didnt. I think that qualifies me to tell you that lobsters do not actually scream. They dont have vocal cords and can't talk or emote. The sound people think is screaming is steam whistling through their shells as they cook. I used to cook professionally and I learned this the first time I threw a load of them into a steam tray and heard the sounds which I thought were their agonized shrieks. I became distraught until my chef explained the mechanics of the steam/ shell thing to me.
rude story? hmmm... anything involving my inlaws.
actually I do have a really shockingly rude-ish story . it will be posted on TPC soon. :)
I have another smoking story. In Montreal (where I live) a smoking ban has come into effect in all restaurants/bars, and since I'm a non-smoker working at a restaurant I was pretty happy about that. Anyways, our restaurant has a patio where smokers are allowed to smoke since its not enclosed in any way. One day a man and a pregnant lady sat down on the patio right beside a table that was obviously filled with smokers. They immediately started to complain to me that the smoke was going to harm their unborn child and saying" can't you force them to stop smoking? I'm pregnant!". Obviously I told them that there is no law prohibiting smoking on the patio and offered to move them inside. They refused, and continued to bitch. Apparently their need to sit outside was stronger than their concern for their unborn child. Some people are nuts...
I wanted to thank you all for your comments!
M... I understand what you mean. I am a poker player and it drives me NUTS when I am sitting at a table where smoking is permitted, and am currently actively smoking when someone who hates smoke *choses* to sit next to me.
On the other hand I cannot stand cigar smoke, just makes me gag, silly I know, but its my problem when I am somewhere people can smoke them. I pick a seat where no one around me is smoking one, and would move myself if it was really bothering me.
Ugh, sorry for the rant. Anyhow, I just got back into town...to come tommorrow or monday pictures from my little trip :)
Ever since smoking has been relegated to certain areas I have become more sensitive to secondhand smoke. Most annoying is that nicotine gauntlet that I have to run when entering or leaving the hospital, but my story today involves the picnic table behind the ER.
I was siiting on a bench outside waiting for my shift to start and a woman was smoking at the picnic table and the smoke was drifting towards me. I noticed that it was posted as a "No Smoking" area and I pointed it out to the woman. Boy, did she ever cop an attitude. "I was here first and you want me to leave?" No, you don't have to leave. Just put out the cigarette. "You have some nerve! You didn't even say hello or ask me how I am." I don't care how you are but I know it's posted no smoking and it's getting on me.
She finally left when I offered to walk over and get security. The funny part was that her face was disfigured...from a fire. She was prob'ly too stupid to put out the butts before she went to sleep.
If I sit in the smoking section I'll accept the smoke but please don't light up when it's obviously the wrong place. Of course, I know you'd never do that.
Post a Comment
<< Home