Why do people say the things they do?

I am beginning to wonder if I should have been thankful for not understanding the language when I lived in France. I have been a bit surprised at conversations I have overheard, but also in what strangers have said to me. Let me just give you an example of what I am talking about.

This morning I went to a little coffee shop and noticed that a woman was watching me as I tried to maneuver the stroller through chairs and tables.

Random lady with no social skills: “I don’t think she likes to be jostled around like that.”

ME: “Oh, she always has that look on her face.”

HER: “So, she always looks p*ssed off?”

ME: “Yeah, pretty much.”

HER: “Well, she is going to have a lot of wrinkles when she gets older.”

Really? Don’t you just wonder what people are thinking sometimes? Who says these things and why?

7 Comments

  1. Mom on September 3, 2007 at 2:48 pm

    I started to write a rather curt response about differences since returning to your ‘native’ land, but thought I shouldn’t go there. So, I won’t respond to the thoughtless remarks made to and about my daughter and granddaughter. That lady obviously hasn’t been taught the adage, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say it at all”. I’m holding back! I’m holding back!



  2. Princesse Ecossaise on September 4, 2007 at 3:15 am

    Maisie is beautiful and is practicing her pout for when she will be a model!!!

    I know very well how nasty strangers can be. Some people are just ignorant, jealous or plain rude!



  3. Donna on September 4, 2007 at 3:21 pm

    Tell the next person that you meet that your daughter was born in Paris and that is her culture shock expression as she encounters more and more Americans. That should quiet them down.



  4. apriltgc on September 4, 2007 at 3:34 pm

    what? – stroller? where’s the didy??? i’m excited to hear if it is all we dreamed and more 🙂 hahaha



  5. Anna Bigelow on September 4, 2007 at 5:50 pm

    They say these things in any language, I believe. You can be thankful you didn’t understand them in French. It’s a frustration that now I understand them in Spanish.



  6. Jen Powell on September 4, 2007 at 6:25 pm

    Oh yes, I love the didy!!!! I wear it all the time and it is the best! I was just using the stroller because it was at a coffee shop where I parked in front of and knew I was going to feed Maisie, or else, didy it is!!! Maisie LOVES it!!!



  7. Allison Goldsworthy on September 6, 2007 at 9:29 am

    people use to- and still do- say comments like that about isaac. they always wondered why he wasn’t smiling all the time at church or why he looks upset. it always irritated me (and still does) when people ask me what’s wrong with my kid. stupid people and stupid comments….



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