Monday, December 1, 2008

At the Grocery Store

Today as I was exiting Walmart, an obnoxious lady noticed my height from the entryway where she was getting her cart. Even though I hadn’t even noticed her, she started talking to me as if we were in the middle of conversation.

“Well, look at you. You are damn tall.”
She was definitely not humble, she was rude. So I ignored her and kept walking.
“Hey! Excuse me!”
I continued to ignore her and walked on past and out of the sliding doors. I could hear her muttering behind me.
“Well, she’s too damn tall.”

The more I thought about this encounter, the more upset it made me. What had she expected me to do? She was the one who had called out to me in such rude fashion. No doubt if I had stopped to talk to her she would only have said more rude things. And what the heck did she mean that I was too damn tall? Like it’s something to be ashamed of? Like something’s wrong with me? Like it’s something I had any control over?

It took me a while to cool down from that one.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I traveled here from your comment at One Minute Writer. I have twin cousins who are tall, well over six feet. It's very strange when the three of us are together and not sitting, because I'm only 4'10". So I'm at the other end of the road on height.

Anonymous said...

I do the same thing I just ignore people when they make rude comments but than they get all upset because i do not answer them, which still makes me wonder why are they getting upset about? I am 6'4 and always hear damn she is tall! Now i never know how to take that comment is it a positive thing or a negative? Or i love when they ask me a question about how tall I am and my response is either i ignore them and walk away or I say i am not sure, and when i say that they assume i must be unhappy about my height and that I should enjoy it, and i do its just how many times can you answer the same question!!! Sometime i just think i should make a tattoo on my forhead that says " I am 6'4" LOL

Bonny said...

I just found your blog, somehow, and I totally know exactly what you're saying on a lot of your posts.

I got annoyed at that lady, just reading your story. It would have been hard for me to hold my tongue. I've had similar stuff said to me, being 6'2, and it's just annoying.

Love your blog!!

Christie said...

Hey Kalyn, I'm 6'4" and the same thing happens to me all the time -- and at the grocery store in particular. I just don't understand why people would think I'd be all excited to talk about something that I obviously have to talk about all the time. I still haven't figured out the right way to deal with these situations, some way to be nice about it and not let it ruin my day... thanks for sharing!