I have run-ins with the oddest people...

[Godhumor]

A few weeks ago I posted about two of the biggest wingnuts ever who decided to have an "incredible" conversation at a local Thai restaurant. I really did not expect to be able to top that story for quite some time, but today I ran into the most amazing person.

I am a swimmer, and as such my work out comprises mainly of being in the water. My gym has a good pool with a hot and dry sauna attached, as well as a hot tub; plus, very few people use the pool. As a result, I can spend up wards of 2 hours at the gym using the facilities around the pool. Generally, there will be somewhere in the neighborhood of 4 or 5 people at any one time in the entire pool complex.

I swim primarily distance, so my work out is generally just straight swimming, no stopping, for 60 to 90 minutes. Today, I made it through about half my swim before a 12 or 13 year old severely overweight girl jumped into the lane next to me. She played, doing things like sitting on the bottom of the pool, floating slowly in her lane, using the various swimming toys my gym stocks, and so on. She was very well behaved, never came into my lane, and I thought it was great that she was having fun. I kept swimming.

A few minutes later, as I'm flip-turning, a hand drops into my lane and pushes my back. I stand up, thinking the girl accidentally drifted into my lane, but no. It's her mother squatting in front of me on the edge of the pool (I assume she came from the hot tub). As soon as she saw that I noticed her she started yelling at me.

"How dare you swim faster and harder than my daughter! You are hurting her self esteem by swimming like that! How can she ever lose weight if she sees someone else doing better than her?! I want you to get out of the pool, so she can swim in peace!"

I was speechless. I honestly had no idea how to respond, and I came very close to simply swimming away. However, before I could, the daughter started crying, yelled at her mom (I think she said, "What's wrong with you?"), exited the pool, and ran into the female locker room.

The mother turned and looked at me with one of the most venomous looks I have ever seen and spat out, "Now, see what you did?" before following her daughter away.

I finished my workout constantly expecting the gym staff to show up due to the woman filing a complaint, but they never materialized. Even now, 3 hours later, I'm still scratching my head over the whole incident.

[supernova]

1. That poor girl

To have a mother like that.

:-(

[crispini]

2. Wow. Now that's irrational.

:wow:

[Godhumor]

3. It stunned me

For the rest of my workout I wondered if they recently saw a doctor of some sort, and the mother was overcompensating for some advice given. I just don't know what else might inspire someone to do something like this.

[Ahpook]

8. I would imagine that's what is happening.

Sometimes people get weird ideas.

A friend thinks i am a complete drunk because i finish a full glass of tea. Huh??? :)

He is going through AA, which is fine and i am happy he is getting better. It was something about being compulsive.

I think I will still finish my tea though:)

[Suich]

4. I wouldn't have known what to do, either!

I wonder who the mom has been talking to or what she's been reading to react that way...odd!

Was the girl flirting with you, in her own way, by any chance?



:)

[Godhumor]

9. I doubt it

Rather, if she was I completely did not pick up on it (I tend to zone out after the first few laps or so). Considering the language her mother used, I think it had to do with how the young girl looked.

[GreenPartyVoter]

5. OMG That woman is destroying her baby :^(

[Zoigal]

6. Good grief...that woman needs help badly.

Maybe the staff knows/ignores her. Kudos to you for
keeping your cool. z

[Godhumor]

10. I really didn't have time to register anything beyond surprise

I don't know how to explain it--my brain couldn't come up with a solution to dealing with that woman beyond "swim away".

[Mugu]

7. Wackos can appear anywhere.

You're not responsible for every wacko that wanders into your life. As long as you're the best person that you can be, there's nothing more you can do.

Regards, Mugu

[Rabrrrrrr]

11. I don't often say it - in fact, I never say it. But I have to: Wow. Just wow.

That is totally fucking insane.

Poor girl - no wonder she has a weight problem. Her mother is fucking insane.

[Godhumor]

12. Yeah, you gotta wonder what her home life is like

As I said earlier in the thread, I hope this is a case of the mother overreacting after having talked with a weight counselor or doctor. If that was how she normally is, I can't imagine what life would be like for her girl.

[Javaman]

13. I chalk it up to my old addadge...

stupid people exist.