I’ve been awake since 4am and can’t get back to sleep because I feel so confused and upset by an incident that took place yesterday. I need to give a bit of back story so will be a bit long. Skip to the 3rd paragraph if you don’t want to read the back story
I’ve been wanting a career change for a little while now. Been researching things that I could possibly be interested in and thought I would look into dog grooming. I researched it quite a bit and spoke to other people about it (one of my friends is a dog groomer so spoke to her as well). I found a course, went along for an open day, decided I would try it so paid for it (£4,000). It’s about 2 hours away from me so I had been going once a week and staying over in a B&B the night before.
I’ve been doing it for 2 months and quickly realised I had made a mistake and it wasn’t for me. I had never done anything like this before so wasn’t to know if I’d enjoy it or not. I kept on going, spoke to my boyfriend and family about how I wasn’t enjoying it and the more I got into it I started to dread going. I would be kept awake with anxiety the night before I did a session and decided I couldn’t keep spending money on B&Bs and giving myself anxiety over something that I don’t have to do, it’s just a choice.
I went to my session yesterday and told the manager there that unfortunately I would like to drop out. The owner of the company asked to speak to me and took me off to a private room. I explained all of my reasoning and let him know that it wasn’t any reflection on his company, the people have been friendly and helpful etc and it’s nothing to do with the place, I’ve just realised it’s not for me and it’s a lesson learned to not fork out a sum of money for something I don’t know if I’ll enjoy! Well… he was so patronising. He told me “I don’t think this is the only thing going on here” I was so confused. He told me I should get some help for my anxiety and maybe go on medication. I explained I don’t have anxiety in general, and have never suffered anything like this before. He seemed to take it personally and say “well in 10 years you are the only person who has ever done this” which made me feel more like shit and a failure, as that’s already what I felt like. He said “do you think I don’t have problems and struggles? There are people dying in wars out there and you think you’ve got it bad” but I never said I had anything bad! All I said was that I have tried this course and learnt that it’s not for me as I’m not enjoying it and don’t feel like I can continue. He told me he was bullied as a kid and it has made him resilient (how is this relevant?!?) and that I need to seek professional help. I started getting frustrated because I felt like he wasn’t listening to me and trying to make out like there’s something wrong with me, when I just didn’t want to do the bloody course! A little tear slipped out because I was getting annoyed and was trying to hold back my frustration. When he saw that, he got a smug look on his face and a smirk and said “oh dear. There really is a lot going on isn’t there?” HUH?! There’s nothing going on?! I’m not depressed, I’m not anxious or anything like that I was so so confused by this whole conversation and just feeling frustrated.
A few other things were said, the conversation went of for a long time and in the end when he realised I wasn’t changing my mind he told me to wait outside while he got my things and practically threw them at me. I said “thanks for the opportunity” (why was I still being polite?) and he said “yep” and shut the door in my face.
AIBU to think that the things he said to me were rude and patronising? I can’t make a complaint because he is the owner but I’m so confused by the whole thing and don’t think I deserved to be told that there’s something wrong with me mentally.