I was working (kinda public service? Or maybe hospitality? It’s a position at a museum) and an older gentleman overheard me cracking my knuckles. Yes, a disgusting habit, but not really any of his business. However, he felt the need to let me know I ‘didn’t get away with it’, so I tried to strike up a conversation and do my job, and he started giving me a half hug, and was whispering in my ear. It’s a loud area, so I wasn’t super thrown, but his grandkid was right there, and by whispering in my ear, he is totally cutting him out of the conversation. I’ve gotten desensitized to a lot of crap working here where you are literally a tool to enhance people’s visits, so they don’t always treat you like a person, especially if you are female. You become a bit of a decorative interactive map or something.
But my fuck you meter was tripped when he would not drop the knuckle thing. He actually asked what my boyfriend said about that. Assuming I’m straight, assuming I’m in a relationship, and assuming I factor my partners opinions into what I do in my spare time. It was out of nowhere, with no leadup whatsoever. One second I’m reassuring him that I’m not going to make my knuckles swell, and he follows up with that. I don’t think he even knew that any of his behavior was not ok. My biggest regret is that I panicked in the face of such bold idiocy, and didn’t tell him I was a lesbian. (I would be lying, which is probably why it wasn’t at the tip of my tongue, but I would pay to see his face.)