drunken idiots

[alarimer]

In my job I often have to deal with the public. Today spent all day at a boat ramp collecting data as part of my usual responsibilities as a fish and wildlife technician. Sometimes the combination of alcohol, sun and saltwaters leads some anglers to a state of drunken obnoxiousness.
Today one particular individual kept trying to touch me while I was doing my work and asking personal questions such as "are you married?" (I answered no), "Are you looking for a husband" (again no). When I answered that second question in the negative he aske if I liked men. Why is it that some guys assume that if you are not looking to get married, you must be gay?
Now of course I should have had a snappy comeback but I never do in these situations. I just got my work done as fast as possible and got out of there. Truly a crappy experience. It doesn't happen very often but it really sucks when it does and there is nothing I can do except be polite and get the hell away. They are members of the public and I work for the state so I better not piss them off. There is no telling who they might know.

[Redstone]

1. How about just a consistent reply of:

"That's none of your business."

If delivered politely, nobody can make a complaint to your boss stand up.

Redstone

[mongo]

2. Can't you use your authority over them? You are in a uniform right?

As in, Sir, if you ask me another personal question I will arrest you for public intoxication.

Sorry you have to get hasseled by drunken fishermen. I always thought that working for the forest service or fish and wildlife would be a cool gig.

Edit: then again a lot of folks think it would be fun working in a porn store. Most of the time it is pretty boring, sometimes fun, and sometimes customers are a pain in the ass.

[SnohoDem]

3. and sometimes customers are a pain in the ass.

Sorry, the mental image was funny.

[alarimer]

5. Unfortunately I don't have that authority

Of course they may not know that; I am often mistaken for a game warden (though I don't have a badge or a gun!).

Mostly it is pretty cool. This doesn't happen often. And I really should just tell these people to mind their own business.

[skygazer]

4. Yeah, what also amazes me

is that they think because you turn them down, you must be gay. When in reality, you've turned them down because they're a drunken moran who smells like stale beer and dead fish.

[alarimer]

6. I thought of a comeback (much later of course).

"It is not that I don't like men, it's just that I don't like YOU!"

[jukes]

7. OR...

"not if they're pushy drunks."

[EstimatedProphet]

8. Creel surveys, huh? Joy.

That job wears out more biologists...

[alarimer]

9. I believe that

and we do a lot of them. We do other things too, though, so that helps.

[EstimatedProphet]

10. That's good

It really can be annoying to be a biologist. You go into then field because you love the outdoors, or the science aspect, then all you end up doing is non-biological work.
Myself, I ended up at a hatchery for a year, then went to Washington to be a paper pusher. It sucked so bad I quit.