Mr Intereuption and Mrs Personal Space

[HeroOfNotBashingSkulls]

Hello there. This is my first sucky customer post. They are quite short, though.

Well, to be fair they aren't completely sucky, but do have some issues. Bit of a background first;

I went for a walk with my mother, both for the nice weather last week and so she could deposit a couple checks. So we went down to a store with a bank booth. The ATM was down, so we waited a while to see if it came back up. Cue in Customers:

First up is Mr Interruption.

While waiting, an older gentlemen comes up and asks if the ATM is down, to which I reply "Yes it is". So he is none-too-happy about it, and says "F*** off.." under his breath. Whether at me or the machine, I wasn't sure. So he stands behind me for a while and wait for the ATM to come back online. Note that the worker at the booth knows nothing about fixing the ATM, he's also the only one working there and he was talking with a customer. The man goes over to the worker, presumably to ask when the machine is back on, but instead of waiting he just interrupts the worker. I'm standing there going WTF? Can't you wait?

Mrs Personal space

A woman comes up at the same time as Mr Interruption. She asks the same question, gets the same answer, but then proceeds to stand directly beside my mother, in her personal space regardless of how uncomfortable the woman was making my mother feel. She stood there for a few solid minutes before saying "What a waste of time." and leaving.

I don't get some people.

[Pixilated]

"Yes, it is a waste of time. So why are you still here?"

Was she standing directly behind your mother? If it were me I think I'd step backwards right into her. "Oops ... didn't realize you were glued to my butt, sorry ..."

[Dark Psion]

I've waited on them, in fact Mrs Interruption was my first SC at the Hardware store. I was helping a newlywed couple pick out plants for their first home when she walked up and interrupted us mid sentence.

"Where are the tomatoes?!!"

I direct her to the greenhouse and go back to the couple. She was pissed and went right inside to the bosses 90 year old dad who used to run the store. After I was called in, I point out 1) I was helping other customers and 2) $1.25 pack of tomatoes vs $300 in shrubs & soil. Money they listen to.

As to Mrs Personal Space, wait till you get one with a little dog and she holds the dog right in your face.

[earl colby pottinger]

While personal space is different for different people, in this world full of pick-pockets I prefer people stay at-least one arm length away from me.

[Dark Psion]

In Oklahoma, violating someone's personal space means two people standing on the same acreage.

[depechemodefan]

but then proceeds to stand directly beside my mother, in her personal space regardless of how uncomfortable the woman was making my mother feel.

I would think the woman was trying to cut in front you your mother. One day I was in line at the Chinese buffet behind a family paying for their lunch. The family was rather spread out. Then a woman (I saw her come from a family still sitting) comes up to me and just stands next to me, in my personal space. Then when some of the family members in front of me paid and moved, the woman next to me then cuts in front of me to stand behind the family still paying, then she moves her box of buffet food on the cashier stand before the family is done, just to preempt me from getting my place in line back.

This Chinese buffet place also sells knick-knacks, like Buddas, "jade" tigers, etc. One of the cutter's relatives stands in line behind me and starts talking about how idols are bad, and starts to proselytizing (Jesus hates idols). I told this woman, "maybe you should tell your relative not to cut in line, that was rude."

[EricKei]

As to Mrs Personal Space, wait till you get one with a little dog and she holds the dog right in your face.

I can think of another response to this one, aside from recoiling...

"Oh! For me? *grab dog from her hands* Thanks! I've always wanted one of these little dogs!"

[HeroOfNotBashingSkulls]

"Yes, it is a waste of time. So why are you still here?"

Was she standing directly behind your mother? If it were me I think I'd step backwards right into her. "Oops ... didn't realize you were glued to my butt, sorry ..."

They get a kick out of stating the obvious? :P

And if the woman was behind my mother, revenge would be hers. >

(Oh, and I le Derped, I may have posted this in le wrong forum)

[Dark Psion]

I can think of another response to this one, aside from recoiling...

"Oh! For me? *grab dog from her hands* Thanks! I've always wanted one of these little dogs!"

I wanted to ask her if she would turn the dog around, his farts couldn't have smelled any worse than his breath.

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

but then proceeds to stand directly beside my mother, in her personal space regardless of how uncomfortable the woman was making my mother feel. She stood there for a few solid minutes before saying "What a waste of time." and leaving.

I don't get some people.

Next time have your mother do what I do. Start scratching. Start small at first but keep at it. Scratch an arm, then the neck, the hair, back to the arm, then the armpit, sides of the belly...just keep at it non stop.

After a while one of two things will happen. Either they will just get freaked out and back off or...

(and this is the fun one) the psychosomatic response will kick in and they'll itch thinking that (subconsciously) they have somehow been infested with whatever is making you itch and then they'll start scratching in return.

I used to do this to mall survey takers that will not take my polite "no thank you" for an answer.