to NOT want the cashier in bloody Waitrose to refer to women as 'birds'?

[Queen0fFeckingEverything]

Picking up some shopping today, whilst wearing an (admittedly slightly daft but very effective) cowgirl hat, the cashier said to me "Nice hat" to which I replied "Thanks" and carried on packing my shopping.

Then he said "Nice hair too, mind you must get boiling in this weather". I went mmmmmmhhmmmm carried on packing my shopping in the normal manner of a harassed mother of a toddler at 3.10pm.

And THEN he said "I've only ever been with one bird with dreadlocks you know", like I fucking care or something, and WINKED at me [ugh]

What in particular don't you like about 'bird'?

I don't like it either but it is a regional thing.

I live bordering East London and 'bird' is quite a common expression

Just as 'hen' is quite a common expression Oop North

Ok, the wink takes it into ohmyfuckingGodfuckoffyouweirdo territory.

Seriously inappropriate in that setting to be discussing women he has had sex with. With a customer.

I'd be more annoyed at him discussing his sex life with you and the wink, than the use of 'bird'.

Oh, but I dislike men who call their girlfriends their 'bird' it's common around where I live and it gets right on my tits.

Um, I'd be far more unhappy that he was talking about you in the context of his sex life. Did he think he was propositioning you? I'd be making a complaint about that actually.

I dont get the problem with using the term 'bird' I use it.

The wink was weird though

Creepy weird man.

I'd want to dettol my shopping. I'd worry where his hands had been ...

I'll clarify that I don't like it because I don't like the way people pronounce it, imagine someone screeching, 'me bird' in a really Scouse accent. I'm a Scouser myself but it's like nails down a chalkboard.

Oh god I HATE being referred to as a bird It's not nice! It's disrespectful and tacky.

I have no idea if he was propositioning me. Hope not.

Whole thing was just a bit icky.

Was it Gene Hunt working undercover?

Jeez, I thought that died with the dinosaurs!!

lived near Manchester my whole life therefore oop north never heard any one referred
to as hen?

He sounds like a right arse, that would piss me off too.

Give him the death stare next time or just avoid him.

What a plank!

He was probably just trying to be friendly.

This word is on my top hate list. I really really can't stand it.
YANBU OP.

My old English teacher used to say that women are only called birds because of the worms they pick up... I've always quite liked that as a comeback.

Doesn't bother me.

Yes its so easy to confuse 'trying to be friendly' with 'sounding like a sexist sleaze'....

Hen is more Scottish than Northern I think.
Regional words don't bother me at all, I'd also be more bothered that he told you he'd only had one woman with dreadlocks, along with his sleazy wink.

I would report him.
We don't expect that in Waitrose.

sleazy old sleazepot.......
not too bothered about 'bird' in general tho'

That behaviour was more Asda than waitrose, what will the older pearl clutches say?

I think by the time I'd dropped my green coin in to my chosen slot, I would have forgotten all about it!

You should have told him that women are called birds because of all the worms they pick up

In fairness, 'I've been with' can also mean 'I've been out with' so he may not have been blurting out his sexual conquests to you.