I think it's relevant that I'm ND and have an anxiety disorder so I don't process things 'normally' often.
My daughter told me she had seen a coat in a charity shop window that she wanted, a style she had been looking for.
She was in school so I decided to go get it for her.
I have real anxiety in shops so I was quite laser focused on going in and checking it was her size.
I went in and went to the window where it was and was trying to look in the nape of it for a label.
The guy who works there walked over and was about 5ft away from me, I turned and looked to him and wanted to ask for help but I really struggle initiating conversation and I was starting to feel flustered because I needed help to find out what size but gelt daft asking for it (happens alot)
He was looking passed me out the window and I tried to make eye contact but he walked away.
So I tried to look if there was a label on the inside pocket area, at the bottom but as I pulled the coat open to look the neatest shoulder slipped off the mannequin, it was falling off (heavy faux fur coat) so I sort of lifted it back and in doing so knocked something off another mannequin next to it, a bag or something maybe?
At this point the guy comes striding over and says in a raised voice 'and THAT is why we don't touch things in the window display!' It was said with a lot of attitude, not playful at all.
I said sorry and I was just trying to see the size as the price label (that have a section for size) didn't say and he said 'there's even a sign!' And pointed to a sign on the floor (weird place??) And I said sorry again but said 'there's no need to speak to me like that though, I wasn't trying to remove it'
And he said he was joking, but he wasn't, my adult son and husband were there.
I know in the scheme of things it doesn't matter but he said this infant of a group of people and honestly talked to me like I was a naughty child (I'll probably get flamed for mentioning it but he was gay and very 'camp' and loud and said it with so much attitude.
I know I was wrong but he didn't have to be so condescending, he could have said 'Do you need a hand? For future reference we ask customers don't get things out of the window so I'll grab it for you'
I just feel like all my confidence has been knocked out of me as this is the kind of thing I dread when thinking about interacting with people.
I think if you're not autistic you might not understand but I just gave DH the coat to buy and went outside and cried.
Feel stupid.