Weird sorta creepy customers -- both on one night!

[DistantStar]

For the record, to even partially explain these, I have a weird incredibly rare orthopedic condition that has caused me to be all of 4'2". Technically it's a form of dwarfism, but my proportions are sort of the opposite of what you probably think of when you hear "dwarf" or *gag* "little person", I have longer arms and legs and a really short torso. Thanks, scoliosis! Anyway, I definitely look different, though not all that much so, really. This was last week.

Weird guy #1:

I'm wandering, bored, through girlswear. An older guy on a scooter comes up next to me and says, "Excuse me."

"Yes, sir? Do you need some help?"

"Do you have arthritis?"

Huh???? "Um...no, not yet, anyway." (Chances are damn good that I will kinda young, but so far, so good.)

"Okay."

And he zips off, as fast as you can zip on the crappy store scooter. I still have no idea why he asked me that. And if he wanted to ask why I'm so damn short, I wish he'd just asked.

Weird guy #2:

I'm at the fitting room covering for the operator's break. A guy, who obviously has some sort of mobility impairment since he's got a cane, comes over. I remembered seeing him a few minutes ago and figured he had a question.

"Are you married?" was the question.

"Um...no." (Oh no, oh no, please please please go away...I'm not interested...)

"There's a web site for little people, it's *I forget the address but I've heard of it*, do you know about it?" (It's a dating site)

"Yes, I've heard of it. I've got a boyfriend, though."

"I just thought you might want to know." (Ooooooookay.)

"Okay...thanks. Yes, I know about it."

And he leaves. I think he was honestly trying to be helpful. But, dude, it was still weird! I thought he was going to hit on me when he asked if I was married. I don't mind being told I'm pretty, but I don't accept dates with strange guys at work, for some reason. Even if I were available, I wouldn't!

[RogueOne]

I got a creepy vibe just reading that.

[dragonflygrrl]

How presumptuous of both of them! I can't imagine walking up to a stranger and just assuming I could ask them personal questions. I hate it when customers ask me things like that. I'm engaged, and it never fails that someone in the course of a day will ask when the wedding is, or how I met my fiance, or once how big the diamond on my ring is! Granted, that's a far sight better than answering questions about medical conditions, which are certainly not customers' business! It just frustrates me that people seem to think an acquaintance meant to last as long as the sale takes entitles them to know about my life. My life is what I do when I'm not on the clock, and it does not involve customers.

[DistantStar]

I think what bugs me the most is that the second guy apparently assumed that average-height men wouldn't be interested in me, or me in them, or something weird like that. Yet my SO of over two years is 5'8ish...I must admit sometimes it'd be convenient to be with somebody closer to my height, but it's not like it's a major issue for me.

And what business of it is theirs? I do fine. I have a job. I have a great guy, even if we're having some problems right now. I'd like to get a different job, and am going to get on that this week.

I wonder if the first guy thought arthritis made me shrink or something? Sheesh. People are idiots!

[One-Fang]

Yes, people are idiots. We don't understand the strange or different. We make often invalid assumptions about why something is the way it is because of what we know from other 'different' things.

Combine with the mentality and thoughtlessness of the average shopper, and frankly, I'm surprised this is a rare occurance.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

That is pretty presumptuous, not only with the personal questions, but the assumtion you are probably single.

A good friend of mine IS a dwarf. She comes to just about the bottom of my ribcage. Her husband is about 6', handsome, dashing, and crazy about her. She has two kids by him.

But then, I wonder if the guy who asked you is married. Or is he still waiting for that 6' tall Swedish supermodel to fall for him?

[lordlundar]

hmm, definately a night.

second one might be a promoter for that site. That's about the only thing I can think of.

[digilight]

AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH I farking hate people like that. I'm 6'6" and big, call it fat if ya want, I dont care. But every where I go people ask me "how tall are you", Did you play football, what sports did you play. And so then I get the fun of trying to explain to a total stranger that no I didn't play football, baseball, basketball, frisby, or donky tossing in highschool. People seem to think that its ok to comment on the fact that I'm built like a running back for the 94 dallas cowbows. I've learning though, if it bugs you make it fun. Toss little barbs in there that you understand, but they won't get until later that night (since they brains are usually made out of pudding anyways).

[KuzcoLlama]

I get assumptions with a couple of friends of mine. Apparently because we hang out together and actually like each other's presence (and work together :-P), we MUST either be sisters or lesbians. If they ask about lesbianism (and it tends to be the college frat/guy who hasn't been laid in a while), we usually begin making references to lorena bobbit.

As for the sisters thing (Note: She's japanese, I'm mexican)? We have dry wit. We once convinced a poor girl that I was adopted into my friend's family. Until she said "Really?" ::awe::....::laughter:: "Haha, no."

[JuniorMintz]

Thanks, scoliosis!

Hurray for shorties!

(I have scoliosis too, and I'm shorter than everyone else in my family but I don't have it as bad as most. The funny part is my sister is about 5'8 or 9 with size 10 feet, and I'm like 5'2 but still a size 10... it looks kinda goofy, but I just roll with it. )

Seriously though, what a dillhole. Both of them, really. People are rude.

[DistantStar]

It's not just scoliosis, but that's the most obvious manifestation of what I've got, but still...yay for shorties!

To most people's credit, I really get far less crap than I expected to get when I started this job. That may be part of the reason I'm like, "WTF?" when it does happen. I'm not talking about kids, that's different.

Oddly, I actually enjoy most of my customer interactions. I've found a talent I didn't know I had before Wally World. It's only the few that make me want to kick them in the shins or something.

[JuniorMintz]

It's only the few that make me want to kick them in the shins or something.

Which for us shorties is quite a high kick!

(Ok, no more shortie jokes, I promise. I couldn't resist. )

[chainedbarista]

in older kids, it's still not acceptable-if they're old enough to know between right and wrong, then the 'reaction' still is wrong; giving them the doubt because they're kids *imo* allows them to continue with an unacceptable behavior. if the learning curve has to be steep, so be it.

[purplecat41877]

Yesterday, at work, I answered the phone and the caller asked what I was wearing. I hung up immediately.

[DistantStar]

in older kids, it's still not acceptable-if they're old enough to know between right and wrong, then the 'reaction' still is wrong; giving them the doubt because they're kids *imo* allows them to continue with an unacceptable behavior. if the learning curve has to be steep, so be it.

Actually, I'd much rather they just come out and ask regardless of age, if they're kids. Then I get to give out my "some people are really really tall, and some of us are really really short...I'm one of those" explanation. An older kid might get a little more detail, but not much. Face it, there just aren't very many 4'2" adults out there. I am unusual. I try to be as matter-of-fact about it as I can. I don't want to freak them out. I do try to throw in "It's really not polite to stare, I know you're curious, but I'm just working here," or some variation on that. Sometimes it sucks being educational by simply being present!

Adults...damn, people, you should know better than to ask personal questions, except for situations like the woman who asked me about it because (it turned out) her niece has a related condition. We ended up having a nice chat.