I am eighteen and have recently graduated high school when I decide to go to a local anime and comic convention. It’s worth noting that I’m only five feet tall and am told I have a child’s face; I’m often mistaken for being maybe thirteen years old.

I’m finishing up a conversation with a seller at a booth when we have this exchange.

Seller: “Sorry, we don’t have that in stock, but we have a local store, actually! You should swing by and we’ll put you on a waiting list?”

Me: “Ah, nah, sorry. I’m actually not in town much longer. I move away to start college soon. Maybe at next year’s convention!”

We have been talking while walking away from each other to end the conversation before, but at my words, he instantly and almost cartoonishly stops dead and spins on his heels. He power-walks back to talk to me and stands uncomfortably close and leers at me.

Seller: “Oh, college, you say? I didn’t know you were going to college. Well, your… boyfriend… must be awfully proud of you, hm?”

I’m creeped out by this instant shift.

Me: “Uh. Yeah. He totally is. Bye!”

I high-tailed it out of there ASAP after that! He flipped from normal dude to creepy man as soon as he realized I was “legal.”

I work at a restaurant as a waitress. I am waiting on two men. 

Customer #1: “Pull your mask down, sweetie.”

Customer #2: “Yeah, we need to see you to give you a tip.”

Me: “Yeah, that’s not going to happen. I’m not going to pull my mask down.”

Customer #1: “If you don’t do it, you don’t get a tip!”

He dramatically waves a quarter in front of me.

Offended, I go find the manager, a tough-as-nails woman in her sixties who doesn’t put up with people’s crap. When I find her and tell her, she is immediately furious and goes to talk to them. When one of the men sees her, he goes pale.

Manager: “[CUSTOMER #1]! How dare you treat my waitress like a cheap piece of meat?! What would your mother think? Now apologize!”

Customer #1: “S-sorry.”

Manager: “Now get out and don’t come back! I’m filing a report against you!”

The men quickly left, and my manager did file a police report. The man was warned and banned from the restaurant.

Related:
An Ugly Side Of Society Has Been Unmasked, Part 8
An Ugly Side Of Society Has Been Unmasked, Part 7
An Ugly Side Of Society Has Been Unmasked, Part 6
An Ugly Side Of Society Has Been Unmasked, Part 5
An Ugly Side Of Society Has Been Unmasked, Part 4

My father has high blood pressure, and from time to time, he experiences prolonged nosebleeds. If the bleeding lasts longer than twenty minutes, he must be taken to the hospital. This happens one evening at around 10:00 pm, so I drive him to the emergency department at a nearby hospital. Note that this occurs during the global health crisis where only a certain amount of people are allowed in a room.

When we arrived at the registration area, they need to take my father’s blood pressure and ask him some questions. I am told to wait outside as only two people, including the nurse, are allowed in the assessment room.

The room is located right in front of the entrance where a few security guards are monitoring the entrance. While I wait, one of them starts to talk to me. He asks me what happened and I tell him briefly; it makes me feel better to talk to someone. Initially, everything appears to be nothing more than a normal conversation.

Security Guard: “Are you all right, miss?”

Me: “Yeah, I’m just a bit stressed. This is how I would normally react when this happens to my dad.”

Security Guard: “Can I get you water or anything?”

Me: “I’m okay, thank you very much. I really appreciate it.”

The nurse gets my attention as my father is done registering in the assessment room and has been redirected to the examination room to see the doctor. The security guard knows that I have to go in with my father.

Security Guard: “I think we should exchange phone numbers, if you are interested in grabbing a coffee sometime. I am [Security Guard], by the way.”

I am taken aback as the hospital is one of the wrong places to pick up women.

Me: “I gotta run now. Can’t leave my dad waiting.”

I take my father into the examination room. The doctor sees him and, because his blood pressure is way above average, he is given a pill to lower it. We have to wait for about an hour. After that, he is fine and the doctor determines that it is nothing major and it is just one of those moments. We are given the green light to go home. As I am exiting the hospital, [Security Guard] is still on duty and keeps hitting on me.

Security Guard: “Are you willing to accept the invitation I offered you?”

Me: “I am actually married with a four-year-old and am expecting a pair of twins due in July of 2021.”

He was speechless. At least I got to see his reaction at the right moment. And no, I am not married and have no children!

When we are still dating, my husband gets tickets to the local NFL team game. Like all arenas and public venues, the seats are mashed in to make room for as many people as possible. 

During the first half of the game, the man beside me constantly has his leg against mine or elbows me in the breast every time he moves. In a typical male fashion, my husband doesn’t notice and brushes it off.

Husband: “It’s just because it’s close quarters.”

During halftime, I express my frustration with Mr. Gropey next to me and I swap seats with my husband. Within moments, he has a thigh against his and an elbow to his chest.

Well, it seems that gets Mr. Gropey’s attention; apparently, it isn’t as soft as it used to be. When he looks over and sees a beefier man smiling and waving at him where there was a woman before, he suddenly finds a lot more space on the other side of his seat.

Husband: “Huh. You weren’t kidding about him constantly trying to feel you up.”

Me: “Welcome to the life of a woman.”

This story is part of our Best Of January 2021 roundup!

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The owner also serves as a waiter in the little diner I work at. We’re a small town where almost everyone knows everyone.

A guy moved here a few months ago and already has a terrible reputation for being a sexist pig who has grabby hands. He has been banned from our one pizza place and one Chinese restaurant already. He comes into our diner today. He doesn’t know the owner.

Customer: “No, I won’t be served by a man; that’s a woman’s job!”

Owner: “That isn’t happening.”

Customer: “You get me a pretty girl out here right now!”

Owner: “No. Either I’m your waiter or you don’t eat.”

Customer: “You!” *Snaps his fingers at me* “You will—”

Me: “No.”

Customer: “You little b****! I am a man; you will do as I tell you!”

Me: “I will do no such thing.”

He grabs my arm and jerks me towards him, causing several other customers to yell out and two to pull out their phones. The owner yanks him off and begins to drag him towards the door while the customer tantrums.

Owner: “Congrats, you’re banned.”

Customer: “YOU CAN’T KICK ME OUT! DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?!”

Owner: “I sure do, you’re [Customer], a sexist a**hole who has now been banned from three of the four restaurants in town because he’s a dumba** and can’t keep his hands to himself. Do you know who I am?”

Customer: “No, who the h*** cares?”

Owner: “You will. I’m [Owner], I own this place, but more importantly—” *points to me* “—she’s my wife’s goddaughter, and that—” *points to camera* “—is a video camera.”

Customer: “Um, I didn’t—”

Owner: “Oh, yes, you did. [My Name], you want to press charges, darling?”

Me: “Yes.”

The customer tried to book it, but the police eventually got him.

The owner’s wife, my godmother, is the owner of the law firm he was trying to get a job at. He never knew that because she never wanted an interview with him, and he didn’t realize she was a woman due to her gender-neutral name.

He ended up moving out of town less than six months later.