for crying out loud.
i was just reprimanded on my walking style for the FOURTH time in the whole foods parking lot. FOUR times.
my office is one block from the whole foods in durham, so i go there frequently.
a few months ago, a man in a car slowed down and rolled down his window and asked me, “do you think wearing red means you’re a stop sign?”
uhhh, what?
“you never walk DIAGONALLY in a parking lot, don’t you know that!”
uhhhhhh, what?
he was driving parallel to me, so it made no sense anyway.
then about a month ago, a man stopped me as i got out of my car in the parking lot and told me i’d done a shitty parking job. it was friday afternoon, i just wanted some beers, and i did not respond politely to this observation.
THEN … JUST NOW … i walked to whole foods, and found a woman waiting for me at the door, who told me that i had jay walked.
just standing there, waiting.
i said, THANKS!
we’re not downtown. durham has no bustle or hustle about it. i looked both ways and made an informed and safe trek across the street. she must have just been standing there watching me. judging.
this confounds me. i’m generally very well mannered with strangers and service people and animals and old people. i hold doors, i smile at strangers, i say thank you and please and i’m usually very patient.
what do you do when a stranger gives you crap for something? do you smile and take it? do you argue back? do you get ugly with them?
or are you the dreaded reprimanding busy-body?
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