Bad experience at the grocery store
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| Fri, 11-11-2005 - 4:14pm |
I also posted this at the etiquitte board, but I thougth I'd post it here too since you might understand my background more. I am so upset, I was shaking and crying. It may seem like a little incident, but I feel horrible.
I was just at the grocery store, and a stranger yelled at me in the parking lot because I didn't return my cart all the way.
Whenever I go to the grocery store, it seems like half the people just leave their cart wherever their car is. I usually return the cart, except this one time. I was on my way to return my cart when I realized I didn't lock my car door, so I compromised by bringing the car mostly to the return area, then I turned to go back to my car.
That's when a huge man yelled at me from ten feet away, in a really loud voice so everyone could here, saying that I was lazy and rude to just leave the cart there in a handicapped parking space. (There were a lot of handicapped parking spaces, and none of them were full, so I really didn't think it was a problem).
I was shocked, but I returned the cart anyway, and then I felt like I had to say something so I said, "You didn't have to be so rude to me. You could have asked nicely, and I would have done it." He says, "Excuse me? Blah blah blah (more shouting, from ten feet away again), then said "Forget it!" and turned his back and walked into the store.
I called the store to find out if he was an employee, but she really didn't know since he didn't tell me his name or anything. I'm so upset, I was crying, becuase he totally humilitated me in public. And the worst part is since he ran away like a coward, I don't even have a way to respond or do anything about it.
It may have been wrong to leave the cart in the parking lot, but I'm not even sure about that since everyone does it. But he had no right to humilate me and shout at me in front of everyone. Do you think people listening thought I was lazy and rude for leaving the cart there?
What should I have done or said? I'm proud of myself for trying to stand up for myself, but it didn't work. I felt kind of intimidated too since he's a huge, tall, loud man and I'm a petite, 5'2" woman. He had a really loud voice too.

Hi Blue,
I'm feeling really bad. This incident triggered off an avalanche of anxiety and bad feelings. I don't know what to do to feel better. I don't feel safe. I was minding my own business, not expecting anything bad to happen, and all of a sudden some lunatic verbally asualts me. You might think that I'm exaggerating but if you were there, you'd understand how aggressive, loud, angry, and intimidating he was. And I did not deserve that.
Help!
Hi Paulsgirl and welcome to the board! It is both brave and kind of you to jump in as a "newbie" and offer your thoughts/support to another--thank you!!