Why oh WHY can’t I ever think of a fast comeback?!
Santa, maybe that’s what I should be asking you for. To be quick-witted enough to come up with a killer fast comeback at the moment it’s needed, not half an hour later.
Yes, there’s a story behind my Christmas wish …
I ducked into the shops last week to grab a couple of last minute things, and went to pay at the nearest free self-service checkout.
I Must Confess
Now this is the embarassing part – I must confess that I waltzed up to the terminal and began my purchase, not realising there was in fact: A QUEUE.
I was completely oblivious, until a woman tapped me on the shoulder and narkily told me: “There is a queue you know!” (Gosh – what was up her nose!)
Turning around, I could see she was right. I was mortified and immediately began apologising and scuttled to take my place in the queue, behind Mrs Narky. She shook her head at me and continued to look narky.
Well, that did it – my blood began to boil! I repeated that it was an an honest mistake and she didn’t have to be so rude. Then I walked off (I nearly burst into tears, I was so upset).
In the car on the way home, I thought of about a MILLION classic comebacks – of course it was a bit late then!
Fast Comeback Number 1.
I should have turned around, looked her up and down, and said, “So??????” and completed my purchase!
Fast Comeback Number 2.
“Oh, is that a queue? I thought it was just a bunch of Brown’s cows!” (Seriously, that was what it looked like once it had been pointed out to me – no wonder I’d missed it!).
Fast Comeback Number 3.
“Who died and made you the boss of everybody?”
Fast Comeback Number 4.
“Hey, don’t have a cow, man!”
Fast Comeback Number 5.
“And a happy Christmas to you too!”
I can laugh about it now, but it did take me a while to cool down.
Thinking on it now, I can’t help wondering what was behind her narkiness. Whatever happened to grace?!
Did she take an instant dislike to the look of me for some reason? Maybe I looked like her husband’s favourite ex-girlfriend! Maybe she’d been at the shops for hours and was at the end of her tether. Could it be she was stressed about how she was going to afford her purchases? Maybe she’d lost a loved one recently? I almost began feeling sorry for her!
I really do hope she has a happy Christmas. It sounds like she needs one.
Would you point out their mistake to an oblivious queue jumper? How could you say it so that it comes across as “nice” rather than “narky”?!
Linking up with Kirsty at My Home Truths for another Monday of “I Must Confess” – because it really does feel better to get this off my chest!
Christmas makes everyone a little narky – especially in shops!
It is too hot here even for a witty slow comeback…
LOL I hear ya Lydia, and yes everybody seems cranky. I’m avoiding the shops now until after Christmas!
People can be so agro sometimes. I try to believe that maybe they’ve just had a really bad day but they’re probably just rude by nature. P.S. I gave you a shout out in my blog post below:) Have a great Xmas Janet!
Things have gotten even worse – hubster’s car was dented while we were shopping on Saturday, and the queues today in the post office (where I just had to pick up a parcel) had to be seen to be believed! That’s it, I’m officially not going out again until this madness is OVER! (Oh and thank you for the shout out – have already stopped by and spotted it!!!)
All will be well on Christmas day 🙂 Kick back with some eggnog and dream about how you will dazzle us next year with your awesome posts. Merry Christmas darl… and yes we do have a lot in common!
I never have a good comeback – so much like you there Janet. I think life’s too short to be narky – I wish others believed that too, especially at this time of the year! Thanks for being a regular confessor this year – here’s to a fantastic 2014 for both of us!
I know – narkiness should be outlawed, full stop!
Awww, sorry she was such a cow to you! Who knows what else was going on with her? I think I’d be the kind of person to stand there and make a passive aggressive comment loud enough for the person to hear but not actually say anything. I bet MOST times the people jumping the queue are oblivious, and perhaps going up and saying NICELY “Excuse me, I don’t think you noticed there’s a queue here” instead of being rude might be more appropriate. My guess is this person would probably be that rude, Christmas or not! xo
I do point out to someone if they queue jump – I try to do it nicely though!! Truly!!! Most people are like you, apologetic that they missed seeing it, but I think you did the right thing in not saying anything rude back (despite your desire that you wish you had). I think you need to choose your battles. Now if someone had blatantly stolen your car spot after you had been waiting/indicating for that park for some time – then I say – GO FOR IT and give them a piece of your mind!!
oh this is so simliar to something I saw today! I was at the Chemist today and was next in line but my phone started to ring just as the lady in front of me was finishing up, as I think it is so rude to be on the phone while being served I stepped to the side and let the lady behind me go instead, then there was a man waiting behind her so he moved up to, then this other old lady just walked up and stood right in front of him and when another service counter opened and the lady said “who’s next” the old lady just walked up and said me… at that point the old man walked up and said I think I was next and the old lady just looked at him and went about being served, at this point the man turned around and walked out!
Sometimes it can be a blatant mistake as you say, some queues leav a lot to be desired, but when she clearly pushed in, I think an apology rather than a death stare would have been more appropriate!
Some people do however, need to take a chill pill!
Merry Christmas to you and yours!
I have noticed this Christmas tendency too! So many stressed out people!! The other day in Aldi (which seems to breed rude customers) I had my 3 yr old by the hand, a 2 year old on my hip and a massive nappy bag over my shoulder and I was trying to squeeze through a few people politely, waiting for an elderly lady to pass and this girl (with nothing in her hands) waltzed up to me from the other direction and said rudely “Im trying to get through.” (sounds not so rude as I type it but she said it meanly) and I WISH I had said, “well you obviously are more encumbered than me, so go right ahead”, which she obviously was not, but I just sort of shuffled my children over to let her through, fuming on the inside. My husband saw two elderly ladies having a yelling match over packing the supermarket bags at the checkout today too. Wierd argument to be having?? In the end, it is better to be the nicer person than the person with the great comeback, isn’t it? Merry Christmas!!
I have a dry sense of humour, one I fear no one apart from myself really gets so I come up with rather great comebacks all the time, even have the guts to put them out there but I’m the only one laughing I suspect.
Ha! My blood would boil too! But yes, holidays make people crazy. I couldnt believe how rude people are in the parking lot of late… One guy even stole my spot! I wound down the window and gave him a piece if my mind but it did no good. Too rude!