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I go to the gym nearly every day. It's a block from home. I walk there and don't wear a coat. Yes, it's cold, but I like cold weather...and it's one block, so 1 minute outside. Big deal.
Another regular comes up to me almost every day, saying, "You didn't wear a coat today?"
I want to reply, "Shut up and stop bugging me" but I usually just try to say hello back and have a minute of positive conversation.
Finally, this morning he came up to me, saying the exact same thing as he always does ("You didn't wear a coat today?") and I responded, with a smile, "Well, Mom, if you'd have it dry cleaned and ironed for me, maybe I would."
Was I rude?
NO. He sounds like a moe-ron. Or he's trying to hit on you. Or both.
I go to the gym nearly every day. It's a block from home. I walk there and don't wear a coat. Yes, it's cold, but I like cold weather...and it's one block, so 1 minute outside. Big deal.
Another regular comes up to me almost every day, saying, "You didn't wear a coat today?"
I want to reply, "Shut up and stop bugging me" but I usually just try to say hello back and have a minute of positive conversation.
Finally, this morning he came up to me, saying the exact same thing as he always does ("You didn't wear a coat today?") and I responded, with a smile, "Well, Mom, if you'd have it dry cleaned and ironed for me, maybe I would."
Was I rude?
He's probably just being friendly, trying to strike up a conversation. So yes, your response was a tad rude. But not much. And someone who tries to tell a stranger what to do is lucky that's the only kind of rude response he got, because that's not a good way for him to strike up a conversation.
Why not just ask him outright, "You've asked me this before. Why are you concerned about my coat and walking home?" Although I wouldn't have to ask. I'd know....he's trying to be friendly.
One day you will be old and gray and feeble. It may well be that you wish that someone in the world gave a damn about you in any way, or that the phone would ring. It's a good thing for someone to want to be friends with you. There will come a time when no one will want to be friends with you. You may look back w/regret on the people you dissed who were just trying to be friends. But these are the things older people see when looking back. Not something younger people see, looking forward.
If you don't want to be friends, just continue giving offhand, blow it off, responses, and leave it at that. He'll get the message.
Thanks. I have made friends at the gym (people I've met for drinks and the like outside the gym). Some people are clearly friendly- they come up, initiate conversations and their body language is friendly. 99% of the people at the gym are either nice/normal or otherwise don't cause a problem.
The Coat Inquisitor just doesn't seem friendly- he seems annoyed when he speaks, as though saying hello were the same as having a root canal. I don't know why he bothers to speak if it's that painful for him.
I'm a guy.
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