If you buy things - absolutely they're going to say "how nice you look". But after you leave, do you really truly believe they're saying that?
Of course people say things behind our backs but you're being far too cynical.

How do you know some of them aren't saying nice things about us?

Lili, a makeup person at the Nordstrom's in the King of Prussia Mall probably wouldn't have told me that several of her coworkers approached her to say how good I looked unless it really happened. Yes I bought some expensive Dior makeup from her and will do so again, but she doesn't have to make up stories to get me back because she was soooo nice to me in person that I want to go back anyway.

It is not hard to tell the difference between a person doing their job and just being polite and someone who is really interested and happy to deal with you as you are. When I was in Cinema II (a very nice wig store on S. Broad ) the women who looked me in the eye and told me how nice I looked were not just doing it for a laugh - I could tell they meant it. Hell, one of them, an older lady customer offered to give me a ride as we were leaving!

Would the 42 YO GG manager of the Sephora store on Chestnut readily accept my offer for a 'girls' lunch if she and her coworkers were laughing at me behind my back?

When I got my ears pierced, the 2 super cute teenage girls working at Clare's were absolutely wonderful, chatting and laughing with me. I'm a middle aged guy, but I know enough about cute teen agers to know that they would not be able to pretend that well. If they had been creeped out by me it would have shown.

I could go on and on. I'm sure people do talk about me but I believe a lot of it is probably positive, mostly because I'm really nice and super good looking!

All the Best,
Ann / SS