I am the biggest bitch in the world.

[rivka]

Rivka: Good morning.
Health Club Clerk: Oh, good for you, you made it in.
Rivka: [silently wonders why this is news]
Health Club Clerk: [takes membership card to scan] I have a friend, she's got multiple sclerosis, and she blah blah blah.
Rivka: Why are you telling me this?
Health Club Clerk: [says more things about her friend with multiple sclerosis]
Rivka: [slightly louder] Why are you telling me this?
Health Club Clerk: Well... what do you have?
Rivka: That's a personal question. That's none of your business.
Health Club Clerk: Oh. But I just...
Rivka: [firmly] It's a very rude question. [walks away]
Health Club Clerk: [calling after her] I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt your feelings!
Rivka: [calling back] You didn't "hurt my feelings," you made me angry.
Health Club Clerk: Ma'am, ma'am, please come here. Please accept my apology.
Rivka: [alarmed] Okay, just... okay, don't cry.
Health Club Clerk: [crying] I am going to cry. I've had a really bad day, and...
Rivka: Look, I'm sorry you've had a bad day, but...
Health Club Clerk: Please, please say you accept my apology.
Rivka: Fine. I accept your apology. Okay.

Sheesh.

Comments

[wild-irises.livejournal.com]

It isn't clear to me that you were bitchy. You didn't say anything about tone of voice, but the content comes through as clear, communicative, and responsive. (And angry. In my book, angry isn't the same as bitchy.)

[perigee.livejournal.com]

Seconded! The crying is totally her problem too, not yours.

[roadnotes.livejournal.com]

Amen! That behavior was inappropriate from the start, and if she wept because she was worried about her job, or because it FINALLY dawned on her that she was being intrusive and rude, then it's her concern.

As you can tell, I'm much more ruthless about these things. You just don't start by talking about someone else's disability, if what you want to do is ask someone about their own.