Rude Customers

Hi readers,
I want to use today's post to discuss people's terrible manners. I know that I live in the country, and several of my customers may very well have been raised in a barn, but I know that their parents taught them the most basic of manners. To go back a step, I work as a cashier in a grocery store, in a very small town. I know almost everyone of my customers, and they have known me since birth. From my other posts, and introduction, you probably know that I am currently suffering from the terrible prednisone side effect, MOONFACE!! It seems as if my customers favorite thing to do right now is ask me, why my face is so big. They all start my staring at me while I ring up their items. They scan over my face, with their noses scrunched up and their eyes squinted, as if they are perhaps confused, or smell something fishy. I do not dare ask them what they are looking at because I know that the question will come on its own. Then it does. It would be one thing if they asked in a nice way, or seemed concerned about my general health, but usually the question comes out sounding rude and insulting. I think the best example would be one lady who said, "Girl, why your face gettin so fat?" I didn't really even know how to respond. I just wanted to cry. when I told her I was on Chemo and steroids she looked like she felt bad about asking the question, and this made me kind of happy. I wanted her to feel bad. Who asks their cashier why their face is getting fat. I don't care if you do know me by my first name. And who wants their face associated with the word fat. That word should never escape your lips. I had another man who asked me, "Why is your face so swole? You usually look pretty and thin." With this comment I could no longer hold my tongue, I didn't just want him to feel bad for me, I wanted him to feel bad about his behavior. I told him right away that his comment was incredibly rude. He swore that he did not mean to offend me, he was just concerned, because I used to be thin and pretty. I told him that he was incredibly insulting, because saying that I am usually thin and pretty, implies that I am now fat and ugly. What would you say to these people, I ask you? I get three to four of these comments every day. It was the same when I was getting my chemo treatments and had to wear a mask. All of my customers thought I was wearing the mask for their benefit. They all assumed that I had H1N1 and was trying not to infect them, as they all put it. They would ask me if I was trying to be the lone ranger, or if I was preparing for surgery. They would put up their fingers in the shape of a cross like I was a vampire or somethings. How do you deal with these experiences? I tried to handle these questions and altercations with grace and a smile, but it gets really wearing after a while. If there is anyone out there reading, I am open to suggestions. What would you say to them?

Until next time,
Val