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renee99
02-12-2007, 01:42 PM
As a frame of reference, I live in a big city in the Bible belt.

I went to some shoe stores on Thursday night.

The second store I went to, I saw there was a lady in there, but went over to the clearance rack anyway. On the opposite side of the clearance rack, I slipped a few shoes on but didn't find anything I liked. I then went around to the side nearest this lady. This is when I spotted two kids following her around. I swallowed the lump in my throat and started looking at the other side of the clearance rack. Found a nice and cheap pair of boots in my size, so... I slid one on and stood there, angling my foot trying to figure out if it was comfortable enough. Well, the lady "coincidentally" comes walking down my aisle right in front of me, with a sneering look, I said hi and she didn't respond. Her two kids were staring at me with bug eyes. After they walked past, her little boy came back and just stood next to me staring at me. I was going to tell him to go to his mommy, but decided I had best keep my lips sealed and just tried to ignore him. His sister came and got him as I was taking off the boot. I put it in the box and started walking towards the front. Meanwhile, I hear this lady saying something about "sicko" to the clerk, and the clerk starts walking to where I was. I pass her 2 kids walking to the front, the girl is covering the eyes of the boy and glaring at me. (This girl is like 5 years old for a frame of reference.) I just ignored them.

Went to the front and stood there till the clerk came back, he was very friendly and I'm sure there was no problem on his end. I just couldn't believe how that lady and her kids were acting. Looking back I wish the clerk had confronted me so I could have asked him what the problem was, and if the lady can't put up with it I make over $60,000 a year so whose repeat business does he prefer?

Ugh, I was fuming after I left, usually I would have been scared/upset but this time I was downright pissed off at this small minded lady and the way her little brats acted.

So... on to a few more stores, then I go to Kohls. Start snooping around, then I started slipping on a few shoes there. At one point, this lady and her kid came directly into the aisle where I was after spotting me. I'm thinking oh great, a repeat performance. This time, she says "hi" and I say "excuse me" as I pass her, obviously wearing a ballet style flat and dark nylons on one foot. I only hear parts of what she then says to her son, and obviously within direct earshot of myself, but the gist of it is apparently he wanted pink shoelaces, and his dad at some point said "not while you live under my roof", and so she's saying to him now that he will get pink shoelaces, and I quote "I think you should be free to wear whatever you want and don't let anybody tell you otherwise, you dad will just have to deal with it".

Yeah, so my mood considerably brightened after that point.

Plus I ended up with a killer pair of boots for the night.

melissaabom
02-12-2007, 01:52 PM
That is so wonderful !! Courage! You go girl



Melissa:2c:

kristine239
02-12-2007, 01:53 PM
I like what the kid told his dad. More power to him!

I had a hotel full of CD's (250) for a conference in Nashville a number of years ago, and you should have heard the fuss some mother casued me and the hotel management. Girl, she was off the wall. The hotel manager simply told her that she might like to stay in another hotel.

So much for the "Bible Belt" and red necks.

krisinpink
02-12-2007, 02:42 PM
Wow...tough spot there at your first stop, but GOOD for you in maintaining your cool and your conviction!

What I take from your experience at the other stop you mentioned is that there are plenty of poeple in our society that are open-minded enough to recognize CDing is harmless. I even would like to think that in their heart-of-hearts, MOST people share the attidtude held by the 2nd woman you described. As we all very keenly know, it is not easy to hold opinions that are outside what has been 'programmed' into us as normal.

Congratulations on the new boots!

My SO (GG) and I did some shopping this weekend at an outlet mall along the interstate (I80). I was in a new pair of Vanity flare leg jeans and some loafers, had a great time, was noticed by a number of people, and had positive experiences. I kinda felt a smug sort of sneer from one guy at one store, but otherwise, no troubles, great fun, and we both got some cool new things!

Emma England
02-13-2007, 12:39 PM
Hasn't anyone told the first b*tch that it is rude to stare?

If the second mom was ok with it, and the dad wasn't, then what is he going to do - throw is own kid out of the house? (Never going to happen).

Most people wear black shoes, so pink laces at least brightens them up a bit!!