Every so often, I get sexist/ageist remarks from customers along the lines of "That's too heavy for you/You're a girl, you shouldn't be doing this/you're too young for this", etc. It pisses me off, but it comes with the territory. Some people just can't see past what's right in front of their face. That's fine, their problem.
But then there's this guy. I'm pushing a stack of carts up to the corral, and this old guy comes walking out of the store. He passes me as I'm getting the carts up the front ramp, and tells me, in a tone best directed at a five-year-old, "Oh, you're too little to be pushing those heavy things all the time."
I stop. I blink. 'Scuse me? I am 16, but constantly mistaken for early 20s. I'm a little shy of 5'3", but built like I should be about 6'. I've got more muscle on me than some of my male co-workers. I weigh much more than a normal girl of my height, but it's not even much fat. I'm just solid. The point is, though, "little" is NOT typically the word people choose to describe me. (People who know me, of course, know that calling me anything like that will get their skull caved in.
)
I seriously doubt that old geezer could push the cart stack that I had without getting some kind of hernia. On the other hand, I have no trouble with it at all. So I'm little, you old sack? Wanna test that?
But then there's this guy. I'm pushing a stack of carts up to the corral, and this old guy comes walking out of the store. He passes me as I'm getting the carts up the front ramp, and tells me, in a tone best directed at a five-year-old, "Oh, you're too little to be pushing those heavy things all the time."
I stop. I blink. 'Scuse me? I am 16, but constantly mistaken for early 20s. I'm a little shy of 5'3", but built like I should be about 6'. I've got more muscle on me than some of my male co-workers. I weigh much more than a normal girl of my height, but it's not even much fat. I'm just solid. The point is, though, "little" is NOT typically the word people choose to describe me. (People who know me, of course, know that calling me anything like that will get their skull caved in.

I seriously doubt that old geezer could push the cart stack that I had without getting some kind of hernia. On the other hand, I have no trouble with it at all. So I'm little, you old sack? Wanna test that?

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