My run-in with a teabagger. Awkward situation...What would you do?

Scene: My local grocery store with the only 'Redbox' (movie rental vending machine) in town. I was sitting on a bench right next to it, politely averting my eyes while waiting for the woman ahead of me to make her selection. I hate it when people watch while I'm trying to decide so I always extend the courtesy to others, by keeping a fair distance instead of standing there right next to them watching. However, I think it was still pretty clear that I was waiting for my turn. Alot of people sit on that bench for that reason.

The woman ahead of me took far longer then I expected she would (like 20 minutes). I would have given up after 10 w/apology's to my SO who really wanted a particular movie for this past weekend. However, it was one of those situations where I'm thinking; 'she's taken this long, she should be done ANY minute now'. Furthermore, and despite an appointment I needed to get to after, I figured I still had enough time to spare since it wouldn't take me long once I got to the machine.

What happened next: Finally the woman ahead of me finishes. I get up and begin to move behind her literally seconds AFTER someone who had just walked into the store is attempting to do the same. Now, the woman who had just entered the store, I'm sure, did not realize that I had been waiting... She saw the other woman finishing up and probably thought 'good timing' as I probably would have thought myself had I been her. Being the embarrassment and confrontation averse person I am, I probably would have just let woman #2 go ahead, had it not been for that appointment and the long wait I had just been through. So... I made a split second decision to cut ahead of woman #2 who, at that point, STILL might not have realized she had competition. Once I 'nabbed' the machine (gosh, this sounds bad, I know), but once I got to the machine, I turned to woman #2 and said, "I'm sorry, but I've been waiting" and pointed to the bench where I had been sitting.

I figured that would end the matter. Wrong! Woman #2 said, "No you weren't, you b**ch" ... :wow: Up until this point, I identified with her... in fact, had I been her, I might still have been annoyed even after the explanation, not knowing the full backstory. But, it wouldn't have occurred to me to call someone a b**ch and a liar! Especially over something as dumb as a movie vending machine. Anyway, despite feeling embarrassed and intimidated (to say the least) I figured that the best course of action was to ignore her, get the damn movie, and be on my way asap. Luckily, it didn't take me long but the whole time I was doing it, woman #2 literally stood inches from me, at the machine and kept tapping on it with her nails.

The whole incident was insane and had me so rattled that I had to sit in my car for a few, even though I knew it'd make me late for my appointment. Outright confrontational hostility (like that) is something I've never experienced before... people around here are generally very polite. A few minutes later as I was maneuvering my car out of the parking space, out comes that same woman who sees me and gives me the finger, then gets into her fancy expensive SUV with a bumper sticker that said: "I'll keep my guns, money and freedom, you keep the change". It had a picture of Obama smoking a cigarette X'ed out on it. :eyes:

So a couple of questions... 1)despite woman #2's over-reaction, was I still in the wrong for cutting in front of her? 2)If you conclude that my cutting in front of her was ok, should I have handled the situation differently? Like perhaps explaining more about the long wait, ect? 3)I don't agree, but my SO thinks I was too nice and that I at least should've given the finger back to her... like I said, I disagree w/that but do you? And finally, 4)Am I being "wimpy" for having been rattled by that incident? Has anything like that or worse happened to you with/anyone...not necessarily a teabagger-type?

Sorry about the long post. BTW, I've since signed up for a subscription to Netflix... ;-)

Everything after that is the teabagger's fault.

Sadly, the teabagger party attracts angry, mean people. Most conservatism, in fact, attracts the angry, mean, fearful people.

And no, not worth giving the finger back. Just smile.

After she called me a lying bitch I would likely have said, "No, I'm not - I actually was waiting a long time because the woman ahead of me took forever to make a decision."

If i were in a snarky mood, I might even say something like "She was probably a republican - you know how slow they are to engage their brains, hah hah hah!!" and enjoy the shared laugh if she's a liberal, or enjoy the look of scorn and pure hatred if she's a conservative.

And depending on how angry the woman was, I might even have offered her my place - "Wow, you must really be in a hurry. Why don't you go ahead of me?"

I had someone tell me something in a store parking lot. At first I didn't even know who she was or what she said. Turned out she was the town nutcase that goes around yelling at people and they just take it.

I was so glad I had my wits in check and snipped right back at her. She stood there with her mouth open and just sputtering - no, you, you, you, no - I laughed all the way to the store.

I probably would have flipped that lady off whether repub or liberal.

I do wish I had thought to add the line you suggested about having waited a long time though... just the way you did it right here... Or or your last line... after all, it ended up taking me just as long because I had been upset and had to calm down in the car.

The snarky one would have been fun, if I had been brave enough for it, especially when I saw that bumper sticker after the fact.

Oh well, hindsight is 20/20 as they say... :shrug:

Thanks Rabrrrr! :pals:

"Do your grandchildren kiss those lips"?!!




Tikki

That would've been extra snarky because she looked old enough to possibly have grandkids, but I got the distinct impression that she takes great pains to hide it. The make-up was caked-on big time! :-)

then to go to jail for punching her fucking lights out! :toast:

And running headlong into common indecency is always rattling.

I think you handled it just right. You can't fix Angry Woman's life, even if you spent your entire lifetime working on it.

I'm glad I was able to hold it togethor till I got to my car. I think she wanted to see me upset. Thanks for helping to put things into perspective.

I was in a Walmart parking lot (only 3 times in my life) and two young women come barreling into the parking lot at 30mph almost broadside me as I'm turning to exit, snarl "Faggot" and give me the finger. I had the right of way. It is still very disconcerting to feel such anger coming from complete strangers. I can sympathize.

The point being it had nothing to do with you it has to do with their personality, manners and simmering hostility.

After a 20 minute wait you did the right thing standing up for yourself. Some people have no manners or class and never will. Just be glad you don't have to live in her mind.

Sounds like you were appropriately assertive, without being hostile despite being provoked.

It's scary when people around you act unstable and erratic, it's normal to be freaked out about that. And better for your own sanity if you can understand that they may have other issues. Dealing with a crisis in their own life and lack of sleep can make people respond to normal day to day activities in irrational ways, lashing out at others because they can't control the thing that's really bothering them.

"Appropriately assertive" Hearing that helps alot... thanks

After the first 10 minutes I would have made it obvious I was waiting & try to "help" her along with "oh, have you seen "The Girl w/Dragon Tattoo" or whatever until she made her choice & left. I mean, really, if she couldn't find anything after 20 minutes she really didn't want a movie that much. The kiosk ain't that big!

Best just not to give them any reason to focus on you by returning in kind. Just be glad you don't live in the same house as them.

IMO, sooner or later these people get themselves into trouble with the law.

"Just be glad you don't live in the same house as them"... Very good point! :scared:

It sounds like the woman who got ahead of you, however much slack you want to cut her for not knowing you were waiting, was primed for nasty. Some of us just are, I'm afraid.
And there's no way the snappiest comeback was gonna make her realize her mistake and calm down.

I listened to two women go after each other at the supermarket the other day. They were both righteous, profane and LOUD! Neither won anything from it, and everybody else in all the checkout lines was treated to a very very unpleasant experience. And the fault, as far as I could tell, didn't lie with either of them but with the management of the market, that had clearly never given any of the checkout people on duty the authority to open up another line in the case of a tie up.

I am sorry the nasty lady upset you. If it helps, remember that for all her big fat SUV and screwy political certainty, she's got to be miserably unhappy. And probably deserves to be.

The more of them I know, the less of them I like.

:thumbsup:

really is awesome, especially with all the instant watch stuff available now.

......and thrown my head back in hysterical, over-exaggerated laughter.

But that's just me. :)


Edited to fix grammar - it is SOOOO Monday!

And welcome to DU Amaril! :hi:

worrying about it afterwards.

You could be more aggressive and shape your reactions to hers, but then you're just becoming more like her, and that isn't what you want. You got what you wanted, you got out of there, you kept your values. Don't waste time worrying about it.

She wasn't upset with you, anyway, she was upset with her life and attitude and you were just the one standing there one of the times that anger and self-disgust erupted.

but probably would have done just what you did.
In reality, she probably went home and her family probably paid in spades for your 'impertinence.' Woman with an anger problem like that ain't going to cool down fast. I situations like that I simply tell myself a movie is not worth any anger etc. I can get one anyplace or do a number of other things.
She didn't intimidate you and that destroyed her.

I would replied with "Excuse me, I mistook you for a rational human being instead of a hairless howler monkey"

I have a job 100 miles from my home so I keep a little travel trailer in an RV park near work so I have a place to stay. I got a new neighbor in the park about a month ago and if I had to venture a guess, I'd say he's a Teabagger. He has a big Gadsen flag painted on the tailgate of his truck and NRA stickers on the back window, nothing political though.

The first time I met him i was struggling with putting in a little window ac unit after my roof unit went out. He saw me trying to center it up and balance it while driving screws into the mounting bracket at the same time, so he rushed over and grabbed on while I drove the screws in. Then he disappeared and came back with a tape measure and measured the gaps I needed to fill, went over to his truck and pulled out some pieces of scrap insulation board, cut them to fit and held them in the gaps while I stapled them in.

I thanked him profusely for the help when we were done. He was admiring my motorcycle so that struck up a conversation about bikes for about 30 min. Never discussed politics so I don't know how much of a whackjob he might be in that area, but he sure is a nice guy otherwise.

The world is just full of assholes any way you look at it and it seems you encountered one of the worst sort, the puffed up arrogant shithead that's just too full of themself . I can't stand shitheads like that :grr:

you needed more info after she called you names.

The woman is a narcissist. She only cares about herself. Lots of people in the world are like
that. Don't let it bother you.

1. you weren't wrong taking your turn.
2. no need to interact with her once she made her declaration.
3. no need to interact with her once she made her declaration.
4. no need to be rattled. just added to your life experience.

and push back so I was an arms length away from the machine. I'm kind of aggressive that way when people try to push me around.

I would have taken about half an hour.

I,on the other hand,not so much...when EyeDeeTenTee's (Id10T's) accost me like that....well lets just it ain't pretty or nice!

that encourage other people to be jerks. Then they can feel superior: I knew immediately that person would act like a jerk!

did was to sign up for Netflix. Screw the rude woman.

.
...being in a grocery store and seeing a perhaps
20-year-old woman holding a baby on her hip and
talking to what I for some reason assumed WAS
her grandmother.
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It was "F this" and "F that" and "F'in MF'er" --
it was one of the worst streaks of repetitive
F-words that I've ever heard -- none of them
really emphasized... almost simple place-holders
that supplanted the word "um".
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I stared at her as I walked by and she stopped
and asked, "WHAT?"
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Oooohhh, F'in A!!!!! She F'd up and gave me an
F'ing opening!!!!
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I nodded at the infant and asked what she thought
her baby's SECOND word was gonna be.
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And walked on, doing an invisible mental endzone
dance ending with me spiking my shopping cart.
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I would made the weekly sports highlight reel.
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I could still hear her griping to Grandma about
my rudeness when I had worked my way two aisles
over.
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:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
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Poor little baby.
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Seriously.
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