AIBU?
A Little Christmas Shopping Madness and Getting Chucked out of Waterstones.
Sushipaws · 23/12/2007 20:07
I was standing waiting for the lift in Waterstones today. A family came up behind me, 2 adults and 2 boys. The older boy was clearly disabled and his mother was holding him while he struggled to walk. Now if you hadn't seen the boy walking it is unlikely that you would've noticed his disability, but I wouldn't have expected what happened next even if the boy hadn't been disabled.
As the lift arrived I pulled my buggy back to let the people arriving out and I ushered the family in front of me to go first knowing I'd fit in behind them and I was only going to the first floor so I could nip out. Then, this huge woman came storming up with a buggy, practically pushed the family out the way to get into the lift, turned round and said to me "Are you coming? THEY, can take the stairs." I was gobsmacked, there was no way me, my buggy and the family would fit, so turned to the family and said "On you go", they said "We'll wait for the next one." I shrugged and went to push my buggy into the lift but the stupid woman was pushing the close door button. We all stood there a bit gobsmacked, the mother looked like she was going to cry. I was not having a good day, people are evil with last minute Christmas shopping, but having to do it with the added pressure of 2 children, one of whom needs assistance to walk must be hell. The lift takes ages in Waterstones, we were stood there for about 10 minutes and by this time there was a que of buggies behind us. The 2 parents started to argue and the mother said "lets just go" and off they went. I felt so bad for them, I should've said something to the stupid woman but I am normally too unconfrontational.
Anyway, I finally got up to the first floor and was perusing the kids books when I felt my buggy moving. The stupid woman was pushing my buggy with hers so she could get down the aisle. I was sooooo angry I turned round and said "Excuse You" in a rather irrate way. She said to me "Excuse your-f*king-self." I lost my temper and we ended up having a arguement. I was very firm and didn't swear, or raise my voice. She on the other hand called me lots of names including "C*t", in the kids section I might add, at the top of her voice. A staff member came over and told her to leave, which is just as well because she would probably have beaten me up. I tried to explain to the now 3 staff members but they said I should have told them before I started an arguement and asked me to leave too.
I am so embarrassed. I'll never be able to go back into Waterstanes again, and I'm scared the stupid woman finds me and batters me.
Was I unreasonable to loose my temper?
onepieceoflollipop · 23/12/2007 20:11
YANBU
(at all). I really feel for you. I tend not to stand up for myself or others just in case something happens (like it did for you later on.)
That is outrageous behaviour from that other woman. The only comfort (if any) you may get from this is that she is obviously a very deeply angry, unhappy and discontented person. Not that it excuses her awful behaviour in any way.
Hope you are feeling calmer now.
ISawSantaKissingKerrysNorks · 23/12/2007 20:13
This reply has been deleted
Message withdrawn at poster's request.
ISawSantaKissingKerrysNorks · 23/12/2007 20:13
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Message withdrawn at poster's request.
sophierosie · 23/12/2007 20:15
Poor you - YANBU
Just because its xmas its not an excuse for people to not say 'excuse me'. Under normal circumstances you probably wouldn't have saud anything to the buggy woman, but as you felt so gobsmacked at the family in the lift you probably overcompensated in speaking up!
SpacecadetLovesChristmas · 23/12/2007 20:21
no you werent unreasonable, in fact i think you practised excellent self restraint up until then, the woman sounds vile. I doubt very much ift he staff in waterstones would remember what you looked like..I should rthink they were far too stressed and busy
minouminou · 23/12/2007 20:32
yep, i'd write to head office, as she was actually very threatening towards you
the staff were right in saying you should've asked them for help, but, after the row, that comment should've been more as advice for the future ..... there was no need to ask you to leave at all
stupid scumbag of a "woman"
Sushipaws · 23/12/2007 20:45
Thanks, am feeling a bit more justified now.
I have a freind who works for Waterstones somewhere else, I might ask her to call the store and explain. If that doesn't work I'll wait for my next dose of PMT and write a strong letter.
And your right, they probably won't recognise me.
So so sad, I called just about everyone who'd care to vent, it's actually almost exciting that I got into an arguement with anyone. I guess thats why I feel a bit guilty.
glaskham · 23/12/2007 20:50
i cant see how you could have informed them...fair enough you could ahve told someone about what she'd said in the lift....but then they'd all just ahve laughed at you like you were the little tell-tale in the schoolyard....
and if she was pushing your parm with hers then what do you do? yell at the top of your voice 'a member of staff to deal with this woman please? she's puching my pram away!!'
there is no reason they should have thrown you out, surely they could hear it was her that was doing the screaming, shouting and swearing....verbally abusing you and they had the cheek to ask you to leave....defo get a letter sent off to head office, tell them they've lost a good customer!!
VeVacuaMerryChristmas · 23/12/2007 21:02
how can people be so disgusting? of course you are not being unreasonable, poor you
I had to go to ASDA today, my least favourite supermarket in the world, and there was an actual fight going on between two women - 'you stupid fucking slag' and 'watch where you're fucking going' having bumped trollies. I'm such a wuss I felt scared and wanted to cry - just swept past as quickly as possible and it wasn't even directed at me. How can people have so little self-respect or control? Why couldn't they have smiled, said sorry and gone on with their shopping?
Sushipaws · 23/12/2007 21:52
Ha Ha Ha Quattrocento, I plan to shop online every year but I'm so terribly unorganised. I'd actually finished my Christmas shopping and was telling my Mum what I'd got for my nephew, she told me he'd already got the game I'd bought , so I decided to get him some books instead.
On the bright side, now I've got a Jitter Bugs game for my God Son's birthday next month
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