Strange things people say to you in public

[SparklyUnicorn]

Once when I turned and faced the cashier from having my back turned she said oh my goodness I thought you were a little kid.  What?!  Ok....

 

Good grief. 

 

 

[SparklyUnicorn]

I had all of the kiddos at the supermarket, and the cashier said they looked like "Flowers in the Attic children." 

 

Um...

 

:huh:

[Julie Smith]

Not in public. 

 

But years ago, before kids, my husband's friend asked me this, "If you force your kids to go to the library regularly aren't you afraid that they will go postal?"

 

Also another one of his friends thought I should get a new doctor, since my doctor wouldn't tell me what time my baby was due. He was expecting me to have a due date such as, "May 19th, at 2:50pm". When I explained that wasn't possible he said that of course it was because how else would hospitals schedule things. 

[Beaniemom]

I took my very young 1-2 month old dd to Mass with me, dh was away at the time. After Mass I had someone tell me "I thought you were a little girl with a baby doll until the baby cried."

I'm short (only 5'2") but even then I didn't consider myself young for a child at 26 years old.

Edited May 26, 2017 by Beaniemom

[MercyA]

From a Large Home Improvement Store employee: "What church do you go to?" That in itself wasn't too weird, but it was followed up by an argument about women pastors. I was like, dude, I don't want to argue with you. I just want to buy some hardware.

 

From a teenage Target employee: "I love your outfit, it's so 70's." I wasn't actually going for that look, but okay...

 

From a guy in a parking lot: "I want to show you something in my van." (Yes, I went to look. He wanted to show me his toddler, who was diagnosed with Down Syndrome prenatally but was born without it. My pro-life bumper stickers invited the conversation, I guess.)

 

From some random guy in Target, as I was looking at nightgowns for a lingerie bridal shower. "You'd look good in that. Can I buy it for you?" Um, no. 

Edited May 27, 2017 by MercyA

[Greta]

I have to brag on my daughter a bit for background. She is of course still totally adorable, but when she was in infant, she really was strikingly beautiful. She looked like the Gerber baby or a baby model. I had people telling me that, perfect strangers, all the time, everywhere I went. But this one particular lady, after breathlessly going on and on and on that my daughter was so gorgeous, unbelievably pretty, the most beautiful baby she'd ever seen in her life then added "She looks NOTHING like you!!!"

 

Yeah, um, thanks.

 

ETA: I couldn't really fault the lady, because it was absolutely true! Luckily my dd took after her paternal grandmother more than me. :)

Edited May 26, 2017 by Greta

[Guest]

From a guy friend I had in college:

 

"You're the first girl I've been friends with that I haven't hit on."

 

Ummmm... thanks???

[Greta]

I had all of the kiddos at the supermarket, and the cashier said they looked like "Flowers in the Attic children." 

 

Um...

  

 

But years ago, before kids, my husband's friend asked me this, "If you force your kids to go to the library regularly aren't you afraid that they will go postal?"

What do these even mean?? I'm so confused! :lol:

 

From a guy in a parking lot: "I want to show you something in my van." (Yes, I went to look.

 

You are a brave woman, Mercy! I would have been pulling out the pepper spray!

[Miss Marple]

My father-in-law often says socially inappropriate things.  My niece had just had her 2nd baby and my mom (baby's great grandmother) was holding the baby...FIL asks my mom (age 72) if she was breastfeeding the baby  :crying: .  Sometimes I think he doesn't get out enough lol.  I could totally hear him ask the poster above about vaginally delivering twins.  :huh:

[zoobie]

My father-in-law often says socially inappropriate things.  My niece had just had her 2nd baby and my mom (baby's great grandmother) was holding the baby...FIL asks my mom (age 72) if she was breastfeeding the baby  :crying: .  Sometimes I think he doesn't get out enough lol.  I could totally hear him ask the poster above about vaginally delivering twins.  :huh:

 

The vaginal birth thing to strangers is weird, but why would asking about breastfeeding be inappropriate?

[Miss Marple]

The vaginal birth thing to strangers is weird, but why would asking about breastfeeding be inappropriate?

He thought my mom was doing the breastfeeding while holding the baby.  It was asked "oh, are you breastfeeding him"?

Edited May 26, 2017 by Miss Marple

[TammyS]

My oldest son is 6'10"  He literally hasn't been able to go out in public for years without someone asking him how tall he is and if he plays basketball.  People will literally chase him down in the store, as if they were running to catch an airplane, just to ask.   Sometimes, just for the heck of it, I will count how many asks in 1 trip.  He's very gracious about it, but I keep telling him I will give him $5 if he replies with "what is basketball?"  I mean, I get that most people don't see such a tall person very often (though it's not like there aren't plenty of them out there), but it never seems to occur to them that it's not new to him.  My husband says he just makes people lose their filter.   I've seen people in the grocery store slow down and go "OMG!". 

 

It is literally every time he goes in public.  If I'm doing errands I have to account for so many minutes of driving, so many minutes in the store, and so many minutes of listening to strangers extoll on my son's height.  Gets old.

[zoobie]

He thought my mom was doing the breastfeeding while holding the baby.  It was asked "oh, are you breastfeeding him"?

 

OMG! :rofl:

[nixpix5]

I have had weird twin comments before...they just make me giggle...

 

but I was with my best friend on more than one occasion when people have been blatantly rude to her. She is white and her husband is Jamaican. Once a woman came up and loudly said in front of her children "where did you adopt them from?" I mean...what!?...really!? I couldn't believe it. Another time while we were out a woman came up and in the snarkiest possible voice said "YOU better teach her about her heritage and learn to do her hair properly." I was floored. She had told me she had things like that happen but I didn't understand the experience until I was their with her. Astounding.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I have had weird twin comments before...they just make me giggle...

 

but I was with my best friend on more than one occasion when people have been blatantly rude to her. She is white and her husband is Jamaican. Once a woman came up and loudly said in front of her children "where did you adopt them from?" I mean...what!?...really!? I couldn't believe it. Another time while we were out a woman came up and in the snarkiest possible voice said "YOU better teach her about her heritage and learn to do her hair properly." I was floored. She had told me she had things like that happen but I didn't understand the experience until I was their with her. Astounding.

 

Someone asked me at the park about my mixed race children, "What are they?"  I answered, "human". 

 

Someone else asked my Filipino-American husband "where are your people from"?  They didn't expect the name of our American city. 

 

I realize that people probably don't mean for these things to be so rude but if they thought just two seconds before opening their mouth, they could ask things in a much better way if they even chose to ask at all.  I talk to people in public all the time and most exchanges are really nice but sometimes. . .

[Jean in Newcastle]

I took my very young 1-2 month old dd to Mass with me, dh was away at the time. After Mass I had someone tell me "I thought you were a little girl with a baby doll until the baby cried."

I'm short (only 5'2") but even then I didn't consider myself young for a child at 26 years old.

 

I was in the library and was holding my dd's American girl doll.  A man came up and asked me if it was a real baby.  I turned the doll towards him as an answer but he still didn't seem to know if it was real?  They aren't that lifelike! 

 

[Laura Corin]

When Youngest was between 1 month and about 4 months old, and Eldest was 18 months older then that, several times I had people asking if they were twins. 

 

???

 

One was a baby in arms, the other was walking beside me. (Eldest walked early and well). 

 

I used to get this in China (my sons are 3 1/2 years apart, the younger is on the short side and the elder on the tall side).  In that case, I think it was that people were so unused to seeing families with two children (even though everyone knew that other countries allowed it) that twins were what popped to mind.

[Julie Smith]

My oldest son is 6'10"  He literally hasn't been able to go out in public for years without someone asking him how tall he is and if he plays basketball.  People will literally chase him down in the store, as if they were running to catch an airplane, just to ask.   Sometimes, just for the heck of it, I will count how many asks in 1 trip.  He's very gracious about it, but I keep telling him I will give him $5 if he replies with "what is basketball?"  I mean, I get that most people don't see such a tall person very often (though it's not like there aren't plenty of them out there), but it never seems to occur to them that it's not new to him.  My husband says he just makes people lose their filter.   I've seen people in the grocery store slow down and go "OMG!". 

 

It is literally every time he goes in public.  If I'm doing errands I have to account for so many minutes of driving, so many minutes in the store, and so many minutes of listening to strangers extoll on my son's height.  Gets old.

 

My brother, who is tall, got a t-shirt that says, "No! Do you play mini-golf?"

[Storygirl]

One lady at the preschool my children attended used to refer to them as the triplets. No, not triplets. Not even twins. And not even biologically related to each other (adoptive family).

 

They are atypically close in age: DS13 is 8 months older than DS12, who is five months older than DD11. I had them enrolled in the same preschool class, so I can see how someone might wonder. But the lady kept calling them "the triplets" every time she saw me, even after I had explained that they were not.

[Julie Smith]

  

What do these even mean?? I'm so confused! :lol:

 

 

He meant, that he was afraid that if I forced my kids to go to the library it would drive them crazy, and they might go on a shooting spree killing people. 

 

He was honestly wondering if I was concerned about this.

[Laura Corin]

 it never seems to occur to them that it's not new to him.  

 

This is what is so mystifying to me.  If someone is coming out with the most obvious comments, are they so unaware that they assume that they are original?  Husband is from Texas and gets (in order of likelihood), 'You aren't very tall for a Texan,' and 'Where's your hat/boots/horse/gun?'

[MooCow]

My youngest used to get this comment all the time: "Where did you get your blue eyes from?" He would answer from my grandpa!

 

My dad has four grandchildren - 3 boys, all with blue eyes, one with blond hair, and a granddaughter with brown eyes and dirty blond hair. When he shows pictures, he gets all kinds of weird looks, like OK you senile old man because he is from India. Cracks us up.

[Greta]

He meant, that he was afraid that if I forced my kids to go to the library it would drive them crazy, and they might go on a shooting spree killing people.

 

He was honestly wondering if I was concerned about this.

Weird! I always loved going to the library when I was a kid! Actually I still do. :D. That phrase "kid in a candy store" applies to me in a library or book store. I can't imagine what could possibly be so oppressive about a library!

[Cecropia]

When I was pregnant with #2 and probably 37-38 weeks, I had run into a drug store late one night to grab something.  A woman at the far end of the aisle started toward me, pointing, fanning herself and kind of whooping and hollaring? When she got near she was looking me over, caught her breath and asked if I was carrying twins.  I said no... "Are you sure?" Yes... She left still making all sorts of noise and acting all overcome by seeing my belly.  It was a very uncomfortable moment.  Granted, I had extra amniotic fluid with him and when I'm pregnant I carry all in the front.

 

I also hate having just given birth, being somewhere with the little newborn and people look at my midsection and ask how far along I am.

Edited May 26, 2017 by Cecropia

[Word Nerd]

A man in the pet section of Walmart asked me out for dinner sometime after making small talk about cat food or something.

[Daria]

When I was pregnant with #2 and probably 37-38 weeks, I had run into a drug store late one night to grab something.  A woman at the far end of the aisle started toward me, pointing, fanning herself and kind of whooping and hollaring? When she got near she was looking me over, caught her breath and asked if I was carrying twins.  I said no... "Are you sure?" Yes... She left still making all sorts of noise and acting al overcome by seeing my belly.  It was a very uncomfortable moment.  Granted, I had extra amniotic fluid with him and when I'm pregnant I carry all in the front.

 

I also hate having just given birth, being somewhere with the little newborn and people look at my midsection and ask how far along I am.

 

When my son was a newborn, people kept telling me how great I looked, that if I kept at it I wouldn't look pregnant much longer!

 

My son is adopted.

[Arctic Bunny]

When my son was a newborn, people kept telling me how great I looked, that if I kept at it I wouldn't look pregnant much longer!

 

My son is adopted.

You win! THAT is brutal!

[Liz CA]

When I was overdue with my first son (2 weeks and 2 days!), I went in to a baby boutique to pass the time - I think at that point I was a full two weeks overdue. Anyway, I mentioned it to the cashier as I was checking out and she said, reallly?? You're pregnant??? I just thought you were fat!! Unbelievable!

 

OMG. Please tell me it was a teenager...

 

[Cinder]

People say the weirdest stuff to me all the time, asking if my kids are twins are the least of it...but I have always wondered:

 

What is on the other side of the twin question? If you say, "yes they are twins," what do they say then?

 

Why are random people forever asking if kids are twins???

 

One's a Zygon; we're not sure which one though.  (Of course they'd have to be a Doctor Who fan to get this, but if they don't then so what.)

 

People have asked if my brother and I are twins.

 

We are 2 1/2 years apart, he's 6'2 and I'm barely 5'4.

 

I knew brother/sister twins who looked nothing alike--he was about 6' with medium brown skin, she was about 5'4 and fair.  OTOH I also knew a brother and sister that I would have sworn were twins--because they looked exactly alike!--but they were 11 months apart.

[Daria]

One's a Zygon; we're not sure which one though.  (Of course they'd have to be a Doctor Who fan to get this, but if they don't then so what.)

 

 

I knew brother/sister twins who looked nothing alike--he was about 6' with medium brown skin, she was about 5'4 and fair.  OTOH I also knew a brother and sister that I would have sworn were twins--because they looked exactly alike!--but they were 11 months apart.

 

I look exactly like my younger brother as a child, and we were the same height for years, even though I was 2.5 years older than him.

 

Once my mother was asked what grade we were in, and when she replied "1st and 4th" the person asked "which one's the dumb twin?"

 

Another time, someone asked if we were twins and was told I was just small.  The person then replied that she believed that children who are unhappy don't grow, and she wondered if they were mistreating me.  

[Danestress]

Total stranger (male): Your twins are beautiful.

 

Me: Thank you.

 

TS: Were you pregnant with more but aborted one?

[Liz CA]

Total stranger (male): Your twins are beautiful.

 

Me: Thank you.

 

TS: Were you pregnant with more but aborted one?

 

Ack...I have to stop commenting in this thread but I just can't refrain... :huh:

[Daria]

Total stranger (male): Your twins are beautiful.

 

Me: Thank you.

 

TS: Were you pregnant with more but aborted one?

 

Oh my gracious.  Some people should have their mouths permanently duct taped closed.  

[AnneBlessedx4]

I was at a thrift store with my family. Somebody came up to me and stood really close to me. I in thought it was dh. He burped in my ear so i turned around. NOT MY HUBBY. I grabbed everybody and we left!

 

MY kids were walking in our neighborhood and someone asked them for a cigarette.

 

Another time we were all walking together and a gal walked by from the other direction. She asked if we were on the Jerry Springer show? No one was fighting or being weird. Idk what the deal was.

[happi duck]

These are all so weird!

 

Someone who found out we homeschooled said "why? You don't live in Montana."

[lamppost]

I was pregnant with my 2nd, and a stranger at a party asked if I knew what I was having. I said it's a boy and we already have a girl. Her immediate reply: "Oh, so did you try different sex positions to make sure it would be a boy this time?"  :huh:

[Guest]

Ha! I just remembered one...

 

My soon-to-be-husband and I were returning home from a date late one night. We lived in an apartment complex and had covered, shared parking with the whole complex.

 

We got out of the car and a guy who was sitting there said, "Nice car."

 

Dh: Thanks.

Guy: Does it have air bags?

Dh: Yes, it does.

 

Pause

 

Guy: Yeah my car used to have an air bag but the damn roaches ate it. *takes swig of his jumbo sized beer*

Edited May 26, 2017 by Kinsa

[Jean in Newcastle]

Dd (who I mentioned is multi-racial) had someone ask her recently if she wears make-up.  She said "no" and then was asked why she was so white. 

[MaeFlowers]

When ds was a baby, people were always stopping us to tell us how beautiful he was. One day, a woman in a scooter approached me in Wal-Mart. She said, "I know this is a strange compliment but I'm a cat lady. You're son is cuter than a three legged cat!"

 

Dd had a strawberry melangioma on her cheek as a baby. It was actually rather small, about the size of a dime, but people never complimented her. To be honest, it kind of made me sad because they would just stare at her spot. On occasion, someone would ask about it or comment about another child they knew having one. I was never offended because they were always nice and, honestly, its better to ask than just stare.

 

However, one time when we were waiting in the doctors office, I overheard a young boy ask his Mom about it. I wasnt bothered because it was an innocent question. Her response did. She very loudly informed him that it was my poor parenting skills and that if I had known better I would trim my dd's fingernails. I was about to return the snark when they called us back. In hindsight, I'm glad I didnt say anything. How miserable do you have to be to act so nasty?

[ealp2009]

Yes, I had a girl in the drive through ask me if I was Asian once. She was Asian. I am not. I was so dumbfounded by the question I just stammered.

Someone asked my parents if I was adopted and said they thought I was from China. Then when I was with my son when he was a baby someone said to me "he's biracial isn't he".

 

Such an odd thing to ask somebody.

 

 

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[katilac]

These are all . . . um, amazing? 

 

 

I had all of the kiddos at the supermarket, and the cashier said they looked like "Flowers in the Attic children." 

 

 

Abused? Incestuous? 

 

My oldest son is 6'10"  He literally hasn't been able to go out in public for years without someone asking him how tall he is and if he plays basketball.   

 

I am forever mortified by the time, years ago, that I blurted, "You're so tall!" to my neighbor. I mean, I know better, but I'm really short and she's really tall, and she was sitting and then just stood up . . . and up . . . and up  :lol:

 

As penance, I am very patient when people remark on how short I am, even when a vendor at a convention can't believe how short dds and I all are, and omg it's so cute, like this adorable little tiny family, and we should always walk everywhere together because it's just so cute, and let me look at y'all just one more time . . . 

[Ailaena]

I have to brag on my daughter a bit for background. She is of course still totally adorable, but when she was in infant, she really was strikingly beautiful. She looked like the Gerber baby or a baby model. I had people telling me that, perfect strangers, all the time, everywhere I went. But this one particular lady, after breathlessly going on and on and on that my daughter was so gorgeous, unbelievably pretty, the most beautiful baby she'd ever seen in her life then added "She looks NOTHING like you!!!"

 

Yeah, um, thanks.

 

ETA: I couldn't really fault the lady, because it was absolutely true! Luckily my dd took after her paternal grandmother more than me. :)

 

I got that constantly until dd was maybe 17 or so. When she was really little people used to ask if I was her nanny :p

 

Nowadays, she literally has random people (men and women) walk up to her and tell her how pretty she is which is awkward for all of us in earshot, but now she looks more like me, so booyah!

 

And just to embarrass myself further: I once carpooled with a family where dd and I would get to their house a bit early and go in an hang out until it was time to go. One day, I was with mom and dad looking at their daughter, musing about how I couldn't decide which parent she looked like, and they got really uncomfortable and said, "well, she's adopted..." I see. Well, then. Oops.

[fdrinca]

  

What do these even mean?? I'm so confused! :lol:

 

 

You are a brave woman, Mercy! I would have been pulling out the pepper spray!

 

 

These are all . . . um, amazing? 

 

 

 

Abused? Incestuous? 

 

 

I am forever mortified by the time, years ago, that I blurted, "You're so tall!" to my neighbor. I mean, I know better, but I'm really short and she's really tall, and she was sitting and then just stood up . . . and up . . . and up  :lol:

 

As penance, I am very patient when people remark on how short I am, even when a vendor at a convention can't believe how short dds and I all are, and omg it's so cute, like this adorable little tiny family, and we should always walk everywhere together because it's just so cute, and let me look at y'all just one more time . . . 

 

I don't know her intent. I **think** it's because they are all blonde and blue-eyed, and two girls and two boys. The littlest one was still gestating. Still! Ick, shudder.

[1GirlTwinBoys]

I've been asked many times if I conceived my twins "naturally" by total strangers. I gave birth to them 13 months after my DD was born. Who would do that intentionally is what I always want to say back to them. :)

 

That is such a private question and I don't think people realize that may not be something parents of multiples want to share.  :huh:

 

 

[hopskipjump]

Not my story, but a friend of mine is a very pale, Hitchcock-blonde. Her husband is Chinese. They have four children (3 girls, 1 boy) all very close in age. All more closely resemble the husband.

 

When her kids were young, random strangers would frequently approach her and thank her for adopting those beautiful babies and giving them a loving home here in America. Or they'd ask her for information on adopting from China.

 

Her responses depended on her mood at the time... 👿😇

 

A few years later, they adopted a baby girl from Russia (I think??) who grew up to look an awful lot like her adopted mama. lol No one asked her any adoption questions when they were out together, but the *husband* received a few strange/suspicious/odd comments from people when he was out with their youngest daughter.

Edited May 27, 2017 by hopskipjump

[scoutingmom]

Bill Engvall does a comedy routine about stupid questions and good answers. My step-daughter used one when she was 11.... we were moving and putting stuff into a moving friend. One of her friends came up and asked "are you moving?". She answered, "nope, just putting everything into this truck to see if it will fit!"

 

Well, that brings me to the strange thing I was asked. Years later, I was in the store with my very young baby, (and my step daughter) picking up a few supplies. The cashier asked... "Is that your baby?" I gave a look to my step-daughter but answered with the boring "yes".... but we had both thought of a Bill Engvall answer right off I wish I coulc have said... "Nope, picked her up on aisle nine."

 

 

 

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[Tap]

One day at Costco, a Korean lady asked if my dd10,who was a young toddler at the time, was Chinese.  I told her no, she is Native American. DD was a very, very rotund baby, dark eyed, dark skin, dark wavy hair.  Then she commented on how much DD looks like me....I'm a thin, light skinned, blue eyed blond Norwegian. LOL  Hmmmmmm, well OK. LOL

 

 

(DD is my half-great-neice and we are related by a thirty-second and look absolutely nothing alike. )

[scoutingmom]

When I was overdue with my first son (2 weeks and 2 days!), I went in to a baby boutique to pass the time - I think at that point I was a full two weeks overdue. Anyway, I mentioned it to the cashier as I was checking out and she said, reallly?? You're pregnant??? I just thought you were fat!! Unbelievable!

I experienced this although not so rudely. I am a big person so when I am pregnant, the baby bump isn't obvious. I was overdue and at church. I was talking to a friend, and something was said about the baby or something. Another lady at the church that was a friend (not a close friend obviously...) said, "I didn't know you were pregnant, when are you due?" The silence was awkward when I said "12 days ago...."

 

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[scoutingmom]

The vaginal birth thing to strangers is weird, but why would asking about breastfeeding be inappropriate?

A 72 year old?

 

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[lewelma]

My younger son has a lot of charisma, and always has. I had a homeschool dad once say to me at our play group: "if my kids and your kid were drowning, I would push my children out of the way to save yours."😯

Edited May 27, 2017 by lewelma