I forgot to mention this in my post about the crazy shit going down yesterday, but something else strange happened. I waited on a regular customer, who has always been pleasant, kind, a good tipper, etc.
When I gave him his check, he asked me if I knew about the gym in the mall a little ways down the road. I thought he wanted directions, and I started telling him how to get there.
"No, no, no, my son is a personal trainer and he owns it. I wanted to give you his card, you look like you could use some time in the gym."
Uh...................
He must have seen the shock and confusion in my face.
"I mean, you're beautiful, but you could be extra beautiful! A lot of women today think they have to be skin and bones, but I think you could benefit from some muscle tone."
Uuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhh........
He kept going on about how he wasn't trying to be offensive, that he just thought I could use it!
The fuck? I was incredibly offended. I gained some weight after high school, and when I realized I wasn't happy with my body, I lost weight. The healthy way. Many people have commented on my small frame, but I'm happier with myself than I ever have been, and not once did I do anything but watch what I eat and work out. And yes, I may be tiny, but I can still lift trays with 10 plates on them and bus pans full of dishes.
All the girls were horrified too. "What? No! You look great!" One of them mentioned I should call the son and scold him for his father's tactics. So I did.
"Uhm, hi, I have your card here. I'm sure you're a lovely personal trainer, but your father just completely offended me with the way he went about offering your services."
I feel a little bad about it now, because I know the father is a nice guy, but I was really upset about it! I dwelled on it all night. I felt extremely self-conscious, until one of my regulars overheard me talking about it.
"Blondie, that guy is crazy. You are stunning. Women would kill to have your figure, not to mention your personality."
I know he meant it, and as shallow as it sounds, I think I needed to hear it from a man!
What do you guys think?
People can be so rude/clueless. I am sure he was just trying to beef up his sons clientele. I have a regular customer who insists on setting me up with his high fallutin' son who is some kind of lawyer, states away. And continued to insist all through my engagement/wedding to my husband.
ReplyDeleteFor some reason, people think if they are your regulars, and tip you well, they are entitled to tell you how to run your life/leave you church, Mary Kay, Avon, insurance cards...whatnot. Lame-o's with no sense of boundaries. Don't take it personal, I am sure you are beautiful. :)
yeah, a few people said he was just trying to set me up with his son, but that's not how it came off to me.
DeleteThank you :)
No, you're not overreacting, that was very rude. I am naturally pretty small myself, and when I was a teen and my early to mid twenties, I was so skinny that I was sometimes thought to be anorexic, or a tweeker! or I could be shopping and some stranger would snidely say 'what size are you? a zero?" and snort in disgust. I would never DREAM of being that way to someone who was overweight, and it's equally rude to to do it to someone who is smaller.
ReplyDelete~ Serenity
right? one girl that left and came back a few months later said "ooh... blondie is skinny now! I mean, I don't think she'd be the type to use drugs, but..."
DeleteSeriously? I know America has an obesity problem but everyone under a size 8 is on drugs?