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Um, thanks?

What are you to think when someone says this to you:

"Did you get a haircut?"

and you say, "Yes, I did,"

and the person says, "Oh!"

and that's it.

I mean, if you're going to go so far as to ask the question, and acknowledge the snippage, isn't it polite to just go all the way and say, "Well it sure looks nice!" instead of just, "Oh!" And if you're not going to compliment the haircut, then just keep your mouth shut to begin with.



A few years ago (three and half, to be precise) I was at the drugstore buying a pregnancy test (her name is Phoebe). Mallory was with me; when we got to the checkout stand the clerk said, "Wow, your daughter looks just like you!"

"You think so?" I asked, because this is something I rarely hear.

"Yes!" he said. Then he added, "And I mean that as a comment!"

To this day I still wonder -- did he get his words mixed up? Did he actually mean "compliment", which would be a nice, although unnecessary, addendum to the conversation, or did he actually mean to say "comment" and therefore to insult me (us both, really) because that's usually a phrase that does end in compliment?

Some people should just not speak at all.

Comments

aimee said…
I hate when people ask if you did something to your hair and then say "oh". Why? It is just mean because it makes you wonder what is wrong with it!

And surely, the man meant compliment.

I know, don't call you Shirley. :)
9:01 AM
Anonymous said…
You're right. Some people just should not even speak!

Mom
9:06 AM
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