for not putting the shirt back in Gap?

[Mare11bp]

I was in Gap today looking at the children's sale items for birthday presents.

In front of me was a woman chatting to a friend nearby. She was looking at a polo shirt, she touched it on the rail before turning away to her friend.

Genuinely believing she had finished I picked up the polo shirt, had a look, was lovely colour right size etc so thought "I'll buy that".

She then turned back and huffed and pointed at me saying "I was just talking to my friend". She had the right ache, pointing and scowling at me.

Well I might have considered putting the shirt back apart from her rudeness, apart from getting my back up, I felt like I hadn't done anything wrong as she hadn't picked the shirt up.

So instead I basically asked her what her problem was and told her it was her fault for not picking it up.

I then stepped back allowing her to go through the rail without me interfering and then she found an identical top anyway.

So......was I unreasonable for challenging her rudeness?

no.

If she didn't pick it up, then YANBU to assume that she didn't want it.

Shopping is a serious business. Either chat or shop. Not both, so she deserved to have bargains taken from under her nose

Was it on the sale rail?

If so, I've seen people almost come to blows over reduced items (although this was in our local M&S).

Some people take it very seriously and are clearly bonkers.

Yes indeed, the sale rail.

I am always conscious that the sale rail can be frantic but genuinely believed she had finished. Me and her and her friend nearby were the only ones there.

YANBU

You are not really mixing with us though are you, a few indirect posts on an online forum.........I did indeed see that post, and also posted my frank reply.....the point is that had that woman said to me "excuse me, I was actually about to select that shirt" I would have thought what a polite and assertive person and would have handed it over. But she was gratuitously rude and hostile, and I won't let people get away with that.

That's not my definition of kicking off, there was no punching or shouting!!!!

No...I wouldv'e been too scared to say something

Is her pointing at me not aggressive?

Well, she was rude first so it is natural to reply in the same vein.
No YWNBU to keep hold of the shirt, just touching it doesn't make it hers! If she wanted it so badly, she should have picked it off the rail in the first place.
I might have been inclined to say something like "talk less, shop more" or "if you wanted it that badly you should have picked it up" rather than "what's your problem", which is generally recognised as provocative and "fighting talk".

Was the pointing an offhand gesture or was she jabbing her index finger at you?

She just pointed at me, she didn't make any contact. She wasn't moving her hand around or anything when pointing. Still taken aback however was not what I expected!!

YANBU, if she had seriously wanted to buy it she should have held on to it - that's what people do out shopping when they intend to buy an item.

She was probably just one of those pugnacious types who seem to enjoy picking arguments with random strangers. As you say, gratuitously rude and hostile, which tends to make others not want to be obliging (or as you rightly say, it put your back up).

YANBU, she should have held onto it. I would have found your retort quite aggressive but then she pointed.

Nevermind, could have been worse, you might not have got the top.

Are you really still annoyed?