That Just Happened!

Stephtastic and I were sitting on the porch at my Mom’s house, enjoying the warm weather and talking about Derby when this car pulls up across the street.  I guess the guy driving was checking out the house for sale. 

Beside me, Stephtastic huffs and says, “Whatever!  They’re on a date and he’s trying to impress her.”  And then a bit louder she says, “And the car’s probably rented!”

Good thing the music was loud and they couldn’t hear us.

Yeah, That Just Happened!

I still remember the first unwelcome comment about my body I ever received from a guy.  He told me my “boobs looked terrific in that shirt.”  Being a high-school girl I was quite indignant, but very unsure how to express my extreme displeasure.  I turned bright red and spluttered, “I’m sooo  going to tell your Mom you said that!”  It seems silly now, but at the time it was quite the threat and he immediately apologized.

Looking back on it, I can recognize the comment for what it is.  Harassment.  Although…the older woman in me is kind of flattered.  I know  it’s rude, but it’s been a loooong while since I got catcalled, or “your butt looks fiiiiine” (okay I never got that), or “I love how your hair is so messy. It reminds me of being in bed,” (Which I have got.  Weirdo.), or “You  have a sexy smile.”

If I were to get any of these comments it would be flattering because it means…

1. I can still hear catcalls!  That means I’m not as deaf as MPW thinks I am.
2. My hair has come full circle from rat’s nest to sexy-tousled.  Not brushing it has finally paid off.
3. I shrunk my jeans enough in the wash so that you can see  that I have a butt.  Right now I am kind of unintentionally rocking the teenage-boy-pant-look.
4. I remembered to ask the ortho if I can do at-home whitening with the wire on the back of my teeth.  And then I did it.
5. My boobs look like they exist on the same plane that they did in high school without using a rope and pulley system.

So, although these comments are harassment and degrading and masochistic and what have you, I think a little well-meaning dirty comment from a stranger could be a good thing right about now.  I’ll still give them a dirty look.  It is unacceptable after all.*wink*

Yeah, That Just Happened!

Yesterday I went to a bank to meet with a financial advisor and talk about transferring my funds from my current bank (the customer service sucks  so large).  I am totally excited to be there as my Mom has been working with her for years and years and years and she really knows what she is doing.  My Mom and I drove up together because our appointments were back to back.

As we were sitting in the lobby of the bank this man comes in carrying 3 or 4 stuffed grocery bags. He calls out to the receptionist behind the counter “Buzz me in!”, which she does.  At this point I look at my Mom and she says to me “what no good morning?  No thank you?” (My Mom is pretty strict about social conventions. She is the Dear Abbey of our family.)  I laughed a bit and that was that.

My Mom went in to meet with the planner first.  Keep in mind neither of us belong to this bank, our advisor has just moved there and my Mom wants to make the move with her.  As I am waiting the same guy comes back out into the lobby and stands at the counter.  This was their conversation.

“Hey can I have some (blah blahs…I didn’t really hear him)?” he asks. 

“How much?” the receptionist responds.

“You mean how many” he condescends.

She laughs and makes light of it. “Oh I didn’t read my dictionary this morning. I need to brush up on my English.” (She speaks English perfectly well, she just has an accent.)

“Oh don’t worry,” he responds laughing, “I would do the same if I were practicing Russian.”

*pause*

“I’m Hungarian,” she says.

“Oh right,” he says snobbily, “I knew it was one of those Slavic languages.”

*pause*

“It’s Finnish…So how many do you need?” she asks.

“Two.”

“Oh that’s it,” she says loudly, “Do you want me to assemble them.”

“No,” he scoffs, “I think I can handle it.  Hold my calls, I’m busy.” And he storms down the stairs and goes to Starbucks, not even looking my way.

I am a potential client and this is what I hear in the lobby.  Good grief!  It’s a good thing those boxes were white otherwise he might not have been able to handle it.  Ignorance is alive and well.

Yeah, That Just Happened!