Those Awkward Moments

As some of you know, I was laid off from my job at a womens only gym last year in May. Since then, my former boss encouraged me to still come and work out, so basically I have a free membership.

There are some ladies at this gym that still don't know I am no longer an employee. It makes for an interesting, yet short, conversation that usually ends with me concluding said convo with, "it was a mutual parting."

This past week I had one of the most laughable, yet awkward conversations with a woman who either doesn't listen, or just doesn't process new information. To make things worse, she comes up with these bizarre assumptions about whomever she is conversing with, that it makes her look like...well...an idiot.

Below is an example of a recent conversation with her:

DB*: I've never seen your hair straight before.

Me: *incredulous look on face* My hair isn't straight today. It's curly. (I realize I could have been a little nicer in my response, but really, I don't work there anymore and I had no caffeine in my system to soften my reply.)

DB: Well it's not as curly as I've seen it before. So are you here working, or just working out?

Me: Just working out.

DB: Are you done with school? I thought that was why you left.

Me: What? Yes, I graduated from University 10 years ago.

DB: Have any of your children graduated?

Me: *o_O* Do I look old enough to have childen who are graduating? I don't have any children.

CB*: Oh. Well that's okay too.

Me: *flatly* Thanks.

She is lucky she got me on a good day, even if I didn't have caffeine in me. The encounter was just too laughable to get me mad. She tried so hard to make conversation with me and each question was a total bust. By the time she got to the children topic, I could see she was visibly uncomfortable. It was awesome!

It is a rarity for me to feel this much enjoyment from making someone so uncomfortable. Seriously, I'm not that cruel. But honestly, she was the one asking the questions with reckless abandon. Once she brought up the "kids" question, she had already crossed into "The Danger Zone" (cue Kenny Loggins).

Again, I don't work there anymore, so I didn't feel the urge or see the need to sugar-coat my answers. I had been doing that for the last 5 years when I had been working there. I just find it so rich that some of the women at this gym still feel the constant need to ask such personal questions and that they feel it is my obligation to be completely honest with them. Um, no.

I know on some level I should be ashamed of myself for my actions. Maybe, the things that she said and the questions that she asked weren't so bad. But I'm tired of being the one left uncomfortable after an awkward conversation.


*DB = Dumb Bunny
*CB = Condescending Bunny