As everyone here knows, I am a very liberal person when it comes to social issues. But, last night I went to Whole Foods. The last time I was there, I was with a girl I was dating who has quite a temper and is only 98 lbs, so when she drinks, as she likes to do, she can get loud and has a short fuse (In my opinion). So, last night, I went to have a beer at the Whole Foods bar before I went grocery shopping. The bartender from the time I was there with my girlfriend came and bellied up to the bar and her friend came and sat right next to her. I said, I am so sorry for what happened when I was here last time. And I just touched her shoulder when I said sorry. It came natural to me. Well, she acted like I was about to sexually assault her. She pulled away so quickly. I have never in my life experienced something like that.I was really shocked.
So, I said “I am so sorry!” I didn’t mean anything untoward at all. Nothing. Anyway her friend chimed in and said “she’s acting like that because you have no business touching her without her permission.” I said I meant nothing by that at all. I have always been an advocate for their causes. So her friend goes on to lecture me about pronouns, interrupting people when they’re talking (she was throwing so much nonsense at me I felt like I had to say something to defend myself).
But the final straw was her telling me she identifies as “queer”; again, I have no problem with that. Then she said “my husband is picking me up”. I assumed she meant a woman (it’s getting confusing) but she’s married to a guy. I said I’m sorry I misunderstood. I thought you said you were queer. I got another dressing down for misunderstanding that. I should have known that she was bisexual…even though when I said “sorry, I wasn’t thinking about being bisexual.” She actually said “Don’t label me as bisexual!” Then she said “I’m done with this conversation.”
I was flabbergasted. I would usually come away from an encounter like this feeling bad and guilty, but I don’t. They were nuts.
How can you deal with someone like that? Am I missing something? These women (I don’t know if they would like me to say women) were essentially looking for a problem that didn’t exist. Just wanting to argue for the sake of arguing.
Sigh….. What the hell???
So, I said “I am so sorry!” I didn’t mean anything untoward at all. Nothing. Anyway her friend chimed in and said “she’s acting like that because you have no business touching her without her permission.” I said I meant nothing by that at all. I have always been an advocate for their causes. So her friend goes on to lecture me about pronouns, interrupting people when they’re talking (she was throwing so much nonsense at me I felt like I had to say something to defend myself).
But the final straw was her telling me she identifies as “queer”; again, I have no problem with that. Then she said “my husband is picking me up”. I assumed she meant a woman (it’s getting confusing) but she’s married to a guy. I said I’m sorry I misunderstood. I thought you said you were queer. I got another dressing down for misunderstanding that. I should have known that she was bisexual…even though when I said “sorry, I wasn’t thinking about being bisexual.” She actually said “Don’t label me as bisexual!” Then she said “I’m done with this conversation.”
I was flabbergasted. I would usually come away from an encounter like this feeling bad and guilty, but I don’t. They were nuts.
How can you deal with someone like that? Am I missing something? These women (I don’t know if they would like me to say women) were essentially looking for a problem that didn’t exist. Just wanting to argue for the sake of arguing.
Sigh….. What the hell???
