Seriously, if you ever want an awkward situation: Be a single man, enter a department store, head to “bed/bath”, and then shop for and purchase sheets/pillows.
My own bedding has gotten pretty worn. Today, with a coupon in hand, I went to the nearest Macy’s. Browsing the “bed/bath” department was me, a college-age looking girl with her mom, and another mom with 4 youngish (probably ages 5-14) girls. Now, my intent is this: I need new sheets. And admittedly I haven’t bought these before (some of my bedding goes back to my college years.) So I’m looking around - because I honestly have never bought this stuff before (when I was in college, mom did it for me) and it’s all new. Thread count - I know what that means, but I’m going around, looking at everything, seeing what it all costs, looking for colors that fit my bedroom. I happen to glance up, and: Both moms are glaring at me like I’m some sort of creepy pedophile. I’ve made no contact whatsoever with anyone, not even eye-contact, so this is weird already.
Then the clerk (older woman) approaches me with a scowl: “Can I help you, SIR?” No, thanks, just browsing. And I will buy something, just give me a few minutes. And then she spends the next few minutes glaring at me.
I pick out two sets of sheets (nothing crazy/creepy), just one light-blue set and one off-white one. Also two new pillows. I bring them to the counter and then get this gem of an exchange:
Clerk: “Will you be paying for this with a Macy’s card?”
Me: “Yep.”
Clerk: “Oh, so it’s a joint account?”
Me: “Uhhhh…no. It’s a personal account.”
Clerk: “Oh! So it’s for your wife, then!”
Me: “No. I don’t have a wife.”
Clerk: “Ah! Fiancée!”
Me: “…No…just for me”
Clerk: baffled “Is this a wedding present, then? Do you want to check our registry?”
Me: sigh “No. These sheets and pillows are for me.”
Clerk: , then :dubious:
Me: double sigh “Here’s my card, just ring it up please.”
…and the clerk, and the moms, glared at me all the way out. WTF? Does a single man not need something to put on his bare mattress? Is “bed/bath” a forbidden area for men in a department store? :rolleyes:
I guess us single men are supposed to sleep on a bed of old newspapers until we get married