I have a friend who has social climbing tendencies. She's from a middle class family and I think it was drummed in to her that she should marry a high earning man.
She's been good to me over the years so I just roll my eyes inwardly at some of the things she says but yesterday we met for a drink with a friend of hers whom I hadn't met before. She has a prestigious job and I was aware that my friend saw her as someone with social cachet. The friend was lovely and we were all chatting, it was nice.
The friend said she would be happy to get us tickets to an event she was organising (think: luxury goods fair). I said how nice that would be lovely. My friend immediately said sternly: "but Magic, the items are really expensive".
I think her friend was a bit embarrassed as she said "but sometimes it's nice just to appreciate the beautiful things and prices start from about £100"
Also, we are both from the North but I have a Northern accent and she doesn't. Imagine she's from Harrogate and I'm from Bradford. She then started saying loudly "Bradford" and laughing.
I felt really down when I got home and on reflection this is not the first time she's done this, she did it a few years ago, again in front of her friends who are much more affluent than I (or her). When we were discussing a new shop that had recently opened, she instantly said "magic the prices are really high" as if to exclude me from the conversation. I was really embarrassed.
As background I'm a single parent but have a good job which pays 80k a year, own my home and a car, but generally prioritise my spending for holidays. Even if this were not the case I STILL think it's rude, crass and hurtful to sideline someone when generally they're just joining in a conversation not signing up to a bloody lifelong subscription.
Am I being over sensitive about this or is she being rude?