I told you about us going out to see the fabulous play Metamorphosis (which was brilliant BTW) on our girlfriend's day this past week.
What I didn't tell you was the story about the gal sitting next to me during the play.
Her and her girlfriend arrived just a couple of minutes before the curtain went up.
She had her phone on…one of those extra large screen ones by Samsung that look like a miniature TV screen.
She then proceeded to leave her mini TV on for the first 20 minutes of the play!
It was a bright light in my eyes and I could literally read every single one of her stupid extra enlarged emails that were sized for the legally blind. She had the font enlarged so much that only one sentence would fit on her screen at a time. You could read that email from outer space.
I was so pissed!
I tried looking at her with a big bitchy scowl on my face. She just ignored me. Plus I started missing good bits of the play.
Then I tried mental telepathy…sending searing brain waves,
"SHUT OFF YOUR FU**ING PHONE! SHUT OFF YOUR FU**ING PHONE! SHUT OFF YOUR FU**ING PHONE!"
Over and over I screamed this to myself.
She didn't seem to notice. She was too busy responding to her giant email.
We had paid some good $ to get decent seats and here this chick was ruining the play for me.
Shoes – Nine West, Jeans – AG, top – Nordstroms, Velvet Blazer – Winners, Necklaces – by me
Just when I was at my breaking point and I thought I would explode I turned my head to finally say something she miraculously switched off her phone.
Maybe the brain waves had worked after all.
"Whew."
I said to myself.
"Avoided one slap-down."
But apparently that wasn't enough.
She kept rubbing her leg against mine and hitting my knee. You know the kind of people that somehow are unable or unwilling to accept that the amount of personal space in that theatre seat is the same for them as it is for everyone else? No, they refuse to believe that and instead, try to spread out beyond their seats into the space someone else has paid for.
They spread their knees like some old man watching TV in his basement. Stick their arms slightly over each arm rest. Place their feet in your foot space, so they can "stretch" their legs.
The repositioning continued.
Did she have Parkinson's?
Why was she fidgeting so?
Was she sitting on an ant hill?
She was like a fly buzzing around me. Just when you thought it was gone, back she would be, moving something pushing her way into my space.
Then…out of the blue…she up at GRABBED my knee. With her whole hand!
WTF???
At that point I simply turned to her, incredulous and said out loud,
" That's MY knee!"
She looked at me and laughed a little…
" Oh yeah? Sorry! Ha ha!"
I can tell you if this had been a man I may have slapped him.
(If he looked like Michael Fassbender a slight scolding {or not} might have sufficed.)
As it was a woman younger than myself I didn't.
When I told my husband this story all he wanted to know was, "Was she young & good looking?"
Ah men.
(sigh)
Predictable.
I suppose I need to thank my lucky stars that she wasn't some old creepy ugly dude but call me old fashioned, I kind of like my personal space to be….
you know…
personal.
Especially when I've paid good money for it.
When I told my girlfriend about this story she exclaimed, "I had no idea you were going through all of that!"
Have you ever had anything like this happen to you? On a plane or bus? My Dad said I overreacted! LOL
Tell me how you handled it.
Linking up with : Tres Chic Style Bits Mondy Bloom Shoe Shine
What incredibly rude behavior, though, honestly I’m more surprised that A) they were allowed in. Most theaters I’ve been to are pretty strict that, even if you’ve paid for seats, if you arrive after the show starts, you must wait until the intermission to go in. Also surprised that either the house manager, ushers or even other guests didn’t ask her to turn off the phone.
And, I don’t think you over reacted to a stranger touching you, though it is too bad it ruined the experience a bit for you.
that is the oddest story ever. i wonder what her motives were!!! (i mean, you are pretty hot!)
I feel your pain. I hate strangers invading my personal space (but, yep, a woman is better than a creepy guy) and the reason I rarely go to the cinema is that I cannot bear idiots playing with their phones or recording the sodding performance and ruining it for me.
On a brighter note I love your bag and that velvet blazer rocks! x
So sad some people have no social skills. I love the orange !
Hi Suzanne!
How are you doing? Catching up with you!
Last time we went to the theatre, there was that man in our row who obviously had a couple of drinks- He talked loudly ,making stupid jokes and being a nuisance all together, but TG he shut up when the curtain went up but God did he smell booze, it was not a pleasant experience
Oh, that is weird about the hand on the knee…like really strange, weird. To be honest, I get a teeny bit panicky in my head when I see really large people walking down the aisle and looking in my direction. I totally like my own space. Now the whole screen thing is downright rude, and that would make me crazy, but I’d probably not say anything, just cause people are unpredictable. Here, at the Arts Club Theaters, they write right in the program to come and tell them of a problem, and they will deal with it.
Okay, this look is great Suzanne! I’m always looking to your outfit posts for tips on proportion. I’m learning. To me, logic would say that the wide cuff on the jeans would be leg shortening, but that’s not the case at all. Very nice silhouette!
Oh gawd, that is totally something my husband would’ve said “is she hot?”. LOL! How annoying. I usually confront people immediately about the phone issue, in a nice way, of course. I don’t want to get shot. 🙂
LOL! I would knock even Micheal Fassbender silly with that Samsung for taking that lightly let alone laugh! That is one funny story (I am sure it was not funny at that time) and the way you told it make it even funnier! But really what a b***h! Anyway, this outfit is THE best for me.. I love it so much and you’ve proven that you can really do smart casual with a touch of edge.. lovely!
Mrs Jack Of All Trades
Dubai UAE
Sorry to hear that this girl had poor manners for a show and then goes and grab your knees. I am like you and would’ve given her some looks and hope she would get the message. Sometimes, I wished I was more vocal.
I am in love with this blazer – the color and texture of it is just perfect!
Alice
http://www.happinessatmildlife.com
I don’t think you over reacted. In fact, I think you should have said something to her about her phone within the first couple of minutes. That would have made her aware of you and, maybe, she would have been more self-conscious about her space.
On planes I usually get stuck in the middle of three seats, and am constantly fighting for a tiny perch on just one of the armrests. I’ve learned to eat by only moving my wrists on a plane.
My goodness, what strangely rude behaviour! I would definitely have said something about the phone (isn’t there usually some announcement these days before performances start telling everyone to switch phones off? We has theatre staff actually coming around and telling people when I took my girls to see a show a while back.
And the knee grab was plain weird! I like my personal space to be personal too, I would have been outraged!
Btw, that jacket is a beauty, and you can’t beat a leather saddle bag, love it. xxx
You were definitely more polite about the whole situation than I would have been – that was just incredibly rude on her part. You didn’t over-react at all. People seem to have less and less regard for other people’s space, and don’t seem to care if their behaviour is disturbing others. I weep for our future if these are going to be the people who will be caring for us in the senior’s home.
I wouldn’t have done well with that at all. I have a very large personal space bubble.
But can we talk about your awesome orange velvet blazer? That is amazing.
Just recently when I was traveling with my relatives, a lady sat down next to my aunt on a bench and like halfway sat on her lap and just stayed there until my aunt was like, “Umm, excuse me, can you stop sitting on me?” I find that so strange but like you said, I guess some people just don’t realize when they are crossing into other people’s space/touching them??
I have done the internal monologue! I did it today, just shut the f**k up etc nonetheless the knee grab was still a shocker! just utterly strange and beyond inappropriate, I just find rudeness very difficult to tolerate and sometimes I don’t tolerate it at all! btw you do look gorgeous! I adore your outfit a lot
You look SOOOO spunky! Love this slinky outfit, the shoes and jacket punctuate it gloriarsely!!!
Grrr, I get WILD over rude people. That’s appalling. I would have asked her to turn off her phone, and if she didn’t, I would have grabbed it and thrown it. I’m a bit stroppy at times. Or, in a more polite mood, I would have gone and told an usher, and had them sort it out. I have huge personal space issues!!!
You certainly did not over react! I am impressed you held out that long!
XXX
She actually arrived a couple minutes before it started otherwise you’re right, she wouldn’t have been allowed in.
I was hoping that an usher would notice, but they weren’t anywhere to be found. Also we were in the middle of the seat section…harder to see what was going on.
ha ha! RIGHT! : O
I couldn’t agree more about the movie theatre. I think that is why they have the sound to unbelievably loud now…it drowns out all the other noises. The problem is the screens!
Right?
It does kind of wreck the evening a bit when someone else can’t behave like an adult.
Usually at the theatres here they also say something about phones but I noticed this time they didn’t. I’m surprised they aren’t like hospitals where they simply block the signal.
Good eye on the cuff Sue! I think you and I have the same body proportions. I didn’t wear a big cuff for years because I thought the same thing. I think though that if you add heels you can get away with so much more. My cuff wouldn’t be this wide if I were in flats.
ha ha! Good to know my hubby isn’t the only one like that.
That is the issue with being in the States. Can’t tell when someone might pull out a gun.
Smart casual with a touch of edge : ) I like that!
You and I are just too polite Alice : )
Isn’t this blazer a trip? I bought it at Winners on super sale 80% off for $18. The brand is Mario Serrani from Italy and the inside patterned silk lining is gorgeous. I had tried it on months ago when it was full price and found it too pricey for my tastes. But $18? Yep. I can do that.
Funny enough I still wasn’t sure I would keep it but then I started trying on pieces from my closet and it seemed to go with everything. How weird is it that an orange velvet blazer goes with half of my closet? LOL
You are right Val. I think the longer I waited the worse it got. I should have said something right away.
Getting the middle seat sucks! Funny enough I’m kind of aggressive when it comes to my plane seat. I make damn good and sure that I get at least one arm rest, no matter where I sit.
Isn’t the bag cool? It is a bit of a pain in the butt to open and close though, but I still love it.
Sad and true.
Yep…I am my own hippy dippy baroque rock star in this blazer. The first time I wore it out I got two compliments from strangers. You know you’ve done well when…
Okay that is worse than what happened to me! LOL Eeeek!
I think we all have little dialogues going on in our heads. Wouldn’t it be something if in the future you could see what everyone was thinking with a big text bubble above their head? Scary thought!
Ha! I could totally see you throwing her phone, while slurping down the last of a margarita and then smashing it on the floor beside her! She wouldn’t have known what hit her if it was you instead of me sitting beside her.
I love your orange blazer! It is amazing!
I would have said something to her within the first five minutes. Oh my gosh! You are so polite! That woman was incredibly rude or just obliviously self involved. In which case we should feel sorry for such an obnoxious person. I do not think you overreacted. At all!
Jenni
Ack- my previous long winded comment is wiped out- ugh.
Long story short: hair, handbag, blazer, shoes, incredible. That is all. (well sort of)
This is the year for heels for me, I swear! I am on the hunt for wearable heels. I used to wear them with no problems years ago, but in my sweat pant phase, I stopped wearing them. Go figure…I’m eager to wear them again, but I’m having trouble finding the right fit.
That blazer is everything! Beautiful color and texture! <3
- Anna
http://www.melodicthriftychic.com
I’m not sure what has happened to manners, but people that still have them seem to be a rare commodity. But at least you looked freakin’ gorgeous while you were being abused by a manner-less stranger! That blazer is something you should give to me as a gift because I’m your hair twin.
Debbie
http://www.fashionfairydust.blogspot.com
Sorry about that : (
I know I should have spoken up sooner. Live and learn.
Thanks Anna : )
ha ha! Nice try hair twin : )
What a strange behavior!!!! An episode to feel really bad, I don’t think you over reacted.
Hmmmm….. maybe she had her hidden intentions…. after all you’re so beautiful…. 😉 just kidding my dear (not about you being beautiful)!!!
But let’s talk about your look, that’s such a gorgeous velvet blazer!!! Love it with those shoes and the top.
Thank you so much for linking with Très Chic Style Bits
xoxo
My hubby would say the same thing;-). Men! Hahaha…
I adore this outfit, Suzanne. Feminine, chic, flattering and artistic..all in one.
That woman would have driven me mad.
I probably would have asked her to shut of her phone after a couple of minutes. And I would have REALLY told her of when we reach the point in your story where she puts her hand on your knee.
Here in Asia, especially in India, personal space is a whole other thing. As in :non-existent. Strangers can stand or sit really really close to you. To be precise: almost ‘in’ you. It makes me wanna scream sometimes, because it gives me the creeps.
In this region there is also the phenomena of the salesperson in a shop who will follow your every step (literally) while you browse. You feel as in a bad comedy or as in Juste pour Rire Gags, where another character steps in your steps and sort of hides behind your back. When you turn around to see, they have turned around with you. Catch my drift? That is highly uncomfortable. Sylvia from 40+style once wrote an article about that.
Oh man. That’d drive me crazy.
I can tell you it was very strange. But in the end…I look at it as some good blogging material. LOL
So impressed at how tolerant you were! I have a bit of a short fuse in these situations, much to my hubbie’s embarrassment. You did well not to give a much deserved slap.
Anna
Anna’s Island Style
It is because you are so darn cute! hahahaha No recent knee grabbage for me.