Has anyone ever said something to you that was so unexpected, so undeserved and unprovoked that your brain couldn't process it in order to respond immediately?
I am not one to generally be caught without a witty comeback, or unable to verbally express what immediately comes to mind, but it happened today.
I went to my parents' local Target with my kids and my Mom. (Yes, we're in California, we drove all day yesterday...would you believe we only had to make 1 lunch and 2 potty stops! My kids are veteran road-trippers!) We were browsing, looking for a specific color tank to go under a blouse for my Mom, birthday gifts for a niece and nephew, kid toothpaste and sunblock. Nice combo, eh?
We walked past the $ spot and decided to peruse it. They had some cute plastic bowls with cartoon characters, we looked at them for a bit, we walked past to see what else was offered. A minute after, I decided those bowls would be perfect for road-trip snacking and turned around to pick some out. My girls were there next to me, and so I asked them which ones they preferred as I stood to the side of the end cap and reached for a different color that was in the center of the shelf.
There was an older woman (retired age) standing directly in front of the shelf looking at the same bowls. I was at least 3 feet away and did not have the cart with me. As I reached my arm out for a pink bowl that I thought Syd would love, an older man (turned out to be her husband) came out of nowhere and bellowed very loudly and rudely at me, "Excuse me, we were here FIRST!"
At first I didn't know he was talking to me because I was looking at 1 of at least 500 bowls and I wasn't encroaching on anybody's personal space. His wife then chided him for being so rude and I think he apologized, but said something I didn't quite understand, and motioned to his rear-end as if he was saying he was grumpy from having diarrhea and that's why he barked at me.
This whole time, I'm looking at him, jaw on the floor, probably looking pretty dazed and confused...but I couldn't formulate anything in reply. I.DIDN'T.SAY.A.WORD. I was totally incapable of it in that moment. It was a pretty odd experience for me, and I'm still a bit perplexed by it.
Times like those, I find myself with a whitty comeback about 14 hours later...I hate it when that happens.
ReplyDeleteWow! At least his wife chided him!! grumpy old man..booo! But I love you! I'd let you look at the bowls! Can't wait to see you!!
ReplyDeleteSoooo I tagged you with an award...come on over to my blog and get it girl!
ReplyDeleteI must admit I can not imagine you being speechless....Next time that happens I want to be there.
ReplyDeleteI think people in Roseville are crazy, since I was hit by a lady the next day at Trader Joe's. LOL
ReplyDeleteHey I totally know how you feel. I had one of those moments the other day. Only I actually said something, but it sounded totally retarded, because I was so shaken up. I basically approached some people myself that are well pretty much child abusers and the most evilest people in the world and tried to call them on it in the mall. I knew I would hate myself if I didn't say anything so I said something but like it said I have thought of a million better things to say since then. I'll tell you the story another time. I knew who they were from pictures and wanted them to know that people knew and they couldn't even go to the mall with out being approached. Some I'm glad I did it but wow I have thought of a million more things to say since then.
ReplyDeleteI bet he had hemmroids!!! (I know I spelled that wrong) that's what the pointing was about.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait until I am old.....you get away with stuff like that....just because you're old!
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