I don't know what to make of this - it's unique, I think. My partner & I pulled into the mostly empty auto parts store parking lot to get her a tire gauge. The lot was diagonal parking, and we pulled into the slot adjacent the car in the end slot closest to the door. All other slots were empty. Entering the store I realized I'd left my mask home, and challenged affably by the staff, affably said I'd wait outside.
Outside I stood at the rear of the car, occupying the empty slot adjacent. Another car pulled into the lot and kind of aggressively pulled into that slot (closest to the door except for the first two cars), forcing me to move clear. I thought jeez, this guy doesn't want to walk an extra five inches (all other slots were empty). He stepped out of his car and passing me to enter the store he gave me "a look" like the kind you give a surprise insect in your soup. The tone, as it were, was set.
Eventually my partner emerged and we checked her tires with the new gauge and determined a trip to Shell was going to have to be next. We got into her car, and I kept my door open while finding the shoulder harness and - oops - the guy had returned and wanted to get back into his car and needed me to close the door, which I did, saying "sorry" the way you say sorry when you hand over the pepper instead of the salt.
He said "You should be" in that curt way you do when your best friend apologies for casually burning your house down. I was tempted to retort in some way but held my tongue because one should always pick your battles not get tripped into them.
But I've never encountered quite that flavor of rudeness. I've had people be rude to me in 66 years but not quite in that blunt way over something of such trivial and ordinary consequence. What do you think?
Outside I stood at the rear of the car, occupying the empty slot adjacent. Another car pulled into the lot and kind of aggressively pulled into that slot (closest to the door except for the first two cars), forcing me to move clear. I thought jeez, this guy doesn't want to walk an extra five inches (all other slots were empty). He stepped out of his car and passing me to enter the store he gave me "a look" like the kind you give a surprise insect in your soup. The tone, as it were, was set.
Eventually my partner emerged and we checked her tires with the new gauge and determined a trip to Shell was going to have to be next. We got into her car, and I kept my door open while finding the shoulder harness and - oops - the guy had returned and wanted to get back into his car and needed me to close the door, which I did, saying "sorry" the way you say sorry when you hand over the pepper instead of the salt.
He said "You should be" in that curt way you do when your best friend apologies for casually burning your house down. I was tempted to retort in some way but held my tongue because one should always pick your battles not get tripped into them.
But I've never encountered quite that flavor of rudeness. I've had people be rude to me in 66 years but not quite in that blunt way over something of such trivial and ordinary consequence. What do you think?
