A very, very strange customer encounter today

[jmowreader]

I was getting ready to go outside and unload some wood from a truck when a woman asked me for help with bathtubs. No problem, I went over there to help.

When I get about halfway between the forklift battery chargers and the bathtub aisle, she walked up on me from behind and PUT HER ARM AROUND ME. Like I was her buddy or something. I never saw this woman before and I never saw no shit like that, either. Dude, my own WIFE won't walk up behind me and do that--she's afraid I might get War Flashbacks or something and flip out. Yeah, I freaked some, but I just ducked down a bit and stepped away.

Her reaction was kinda strange: she got all huffy and commented that I had a "problem with me touching you." Yes. I do. I didn't tell her that, but total strangers grabbing me for no reason whatsoever is absolutely not appreciated. And then she spent the rest of the five minutes or so that I was talking to her and her husband (sold them a $400 bathtub and around $200 in drain, faucet, showerhead and other necessary items in the process) she stood about six inches away from me.

Like I said, REAL strange.

[ghostsofgiants]

1. Sounds like it'd be a Seinfeld episode.

[NMMNG]

2. Some people are the "touchy-feely" types

I once was at work and had a new coworker. We'd known each other for all of an hour and she came to ask me a question. As I was answering her she leaned in very close and linked her pinky finger with mine. Perhaps it was a cultural thing--there are cultures that have different concepts of the "personal space" than we do as Americans.

[Gormy Cuss]

3. That woman needs to understand personal space boundaries.

Sheesh.

[LiberalHeart]

4. Quick! Check to see if you still have your wallet.

[Nicole]

5. Strange indeed

I would have told her I had a problem with her touching me.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

6. I get really creeped out when people invade my bubble.

And sometimes it makes me very angry. I see what you mean, and I don't think I would have been so nice about it.
Duckie

[begin_within]

7. Couldn't you just tell her you're not allowed to touch customers?

[Suich]

8. I don't like it when someone stands too close behind me in a grocery checkout line.

Your customer was way out of line.

:hi:

[Floogeldy]

9. You should have grabbed her ass.

;)

[Haole Girl]

10. That just sound inappropriate

And, as you said, weird. :shrug:

[Shine]

11. Interesting story. I guess her "bubble" of closeness is smaller than yours.

:shrug:

In any case, your story reminded me of this: http://www.freehugs.org/
Check it out and let me know what you think! It's kinda cool....

:hi:

[marzipanni]

23. An apple AND a hug a day?

Juan Mann's idea seems to have caught on...

http://www.youtube.com/group/FreeHugsMovement

[Shine]

31. Kewl!

:thumbsup: Thanks for the link, marzipanni! :hi:

[deadparrot]

12. I'm not touchy-feely with most people, either.

I stiffen up when most people, even good friends, try to hug me. Not sure what I would do if a complete stranger did something like that.

I've got personal space issues, though, and I'm not sure why. My roommates often go digging around in my stuff for food, utensils, cleaning stuff, etc., and I have to bite my tongue; it annoys the hell out of me. :shrug:

[Book Lover]

13. Was she trying to pick your pocket?

Seriously, that is strange...

[haf216]

14. I also work retail,

and customers tend to want to touch me to. Mostly older ones that want to "pat" me when I have helped them find something. It drives me crazy!! I live in southern Louisiana and I do think it's part of the cultural here, but still. My coworkers think it's funny and laugh at me all the time.

[hickman]

15. This really pisses me off.

No stranger is allowed to touch you. Why would she feel that because she came to spend money you are obliged to be pawed? Switch the genders and what do you get?

[jmowreader]

25. Switch ASSOCIATES and what do you get?

We've got an associate named David who works in Millwork--doors, windows and moulding. David is an Iraq War veteran who was medically retired. (Let me talk about why in just a second...)

I really think, from having observed David since he got back from the war, that he would have killed this woman if she would have touched him from behind. We don't even walk behind him. David finds cover and goes into a thousand-yard stare if someone drops heavy objects and he doesn't know what they are.

Okay, why he's medically retired: He did two tours in Iraq. About a month after he got back from the second one, his platoon sergeant noticed that David was draining his Camelbak twice a day...while he was working in the office, where they have air conditioners...and sent him to the medics. Somehow or another, David managed to develop type-one diabetes (the kind you inject insulin for) on his second tour or shortly thereafter.

[Skittles]

16. I hear you

some people are just touchy-feely which really makes me uncomfortable but she sounds a bit mental

[peacefreak]

17. My daughter is 6 months pregnant & beautifully round.

She was out shopping a couple of weeks ago when a strange woman came at her & touched her belly with both hands. My daughter promptly slapped her hands & said "stop, that doesn't belong to you." My guess this woman will think twice before she ever does THAT again!

[Mutley]

18. I see that at my store all the time.

People randomly going up to pregnant women and touching their bellies. :shrug:

What the hell? If I ever get pregnant and someone tries that with me... :P

[MountainLaurel]

20. Same here

I like my zone of personal space and don't like people who touch me without asking. I foresee a lot of bloody noses in that scenario.

[BarenakedLady]

21. That happened to me

I HATED it. I'm a really shy person IRL and having complete strangers touch me that way freaked me the hell out. I was never strong enough to tell them the back the fuck off though. lol.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

28. I'm pierced and some people think that gives them permission to grab my ears

and attempt to examine them. This is met with a swift brush off and a "what the fuck are you doing?"

The typical response: "Oh I think your piercings are interesting. I like them."

[momophile]

30. I was so scared of this happening to me that

whenever I went out alone, I would put on my "bitch" face. Kinda growl. Squint the eyes a bit. Clinch my teeth. Basically the same look I gave all through high school.


Needless to say, nobody ever touched my belly without my permission.

[youthere]

32. LOL that is great!

People ALWAYS did that to me when I was pregnant. *sigh* no one ever wants to rub my belly now.:cry:

[xchrom]

19. people will do the strangest things to sales people and waiters.

i've had touchy feely folk when i sell them stuff -- but what used to get was --

when i was waiting tables i would not as a habit introduce myself -- but often someone would ask my name.

ok -- i would tell them -- and i use my full name -- that what every one calls me no diminutive, no shortening of the name like mike from michael -- my full name.

INEVITABLY someone would say ''i bet your friends call you mike -- right, mike.''

i would -- no -- my friends call me michael -- and this would cause disbelief.

i just hate that too friendly bullshit.

[cobalt1999]

22. Strange is right, especially with the husband right there.

Back when I was a bartender, I was always happy to have a bar between myself and the customers (the waitresses weren't so lucky). Sometimes you did have to venture out though and I have stories, but none where a boyfriend/husband was right there.

[anarch]

24. sounds like a real space invader to me

[sakabatou]

26. The only time I'll let a stranger touch me

is at Fanime. And only for hugs.

[Richardo]

27. "Dear Penthouse: I always thought these letters were made up until the other day at the store"

:D

[TK421]

29. I can't stand touchy-feely people...keep your frigging hands off of me

I guess some people can't get their point across unless they lay their grimy paws on you.