I was shopping the other day and had an unusual thing happen to me.
I was in Target looking at cosmetics because even us Fat Chicks want to look good!! I was alone, looking at mascara, when this older woman came down the aisle. I did what I always do, I looked up, smiled and went back to my shopping. Matilda (that is what I have decided to call her) was looking for a specific brand and color and asked if I saw it in the aisle. I try to be a nice person so I told her that I would help her. She looked smiled, thanked me and looked up at me and said something that I never thought I would ever hear someone say, especially someone who doesn’t know me……
Prepare yourself…. Sit down, take a deep breath and continue reading…..
She said “Such a pretty girl, imagine how much prettier you’d be if you lost some of that weight.”
I stood there in a state of total shock as I stared into Matilda’s little face. My gut instinct was to say something like “imagine how much nicer you’d be if it wasn’t for that mouth of yours” or “imagine how much prettier you’d be without all those wrinkles” but I didn’t do it…….. even though I really wanted to!
As I stood there, frozen from shock, all I could think about was what made this woman think it was OK to say something like that to me. Did she think that because I am FAT that I didn’t have feelings? That maybe all of my fat absorbed my feelings and emotions? I got it! Maybe there is a hormone or something released in my fat that makes me incapable of having any reaction to rude, crude comments. Or that maybe I would expect people to make comments like this to and/or about me? Like this is a normal occurrence for me. Like everyday when I walk thru the mall or grocery store I’ve got every Joe Schmoe telling me that I’m good but I’d be better if……. I didn’t wear red or if my hair wasn’t curly or if my eyes weren’t green! Am I crazy for wanting to ring her little neck? I don’t think so, not at all! Now, I know that as people grow older they sometimes feel that they have earned the right to say whatever they want to whoever they want but I don’t agree! There is never a reason to be a snotty old lady making rude comments to a total stranger. As I came out of my state of shock and drifted back into reality, all I could really do was stare at Matilda with my mouth hanging open. I asked here again what brand she was looking for and found it for her. As I handed it to her I smiled, resisted the urge to call her an old fart and walked away. As I turned out of the aisle and walked away I couldn’t help but smile at the thought that I had given Matilda Royal Blue Mascara rather than the Black that she asked for. There is always a silver lining…..