There’s this look I get from people time to time when I go out. It’s not just a look, as in mild curiosity, but The Look, something wholly unique to those of us with truly messed-up bodies. It’s the Look that says, “Oh God, how weird is this guy? What do I have to deal with here?”
I get it most frequently from single mothers. That’s not exactly a demographic I deal with on a regular basis, but I do see them from time to time in stores, at the spa where I swim, or walking down the street, as you do. And in their case, it’s understandable, you know? They have a lot to deal with just from regular dudes, so a guy like me must seem like DEFCON-5 levels of weird. Still, it sucks that we live in a world where, when I make a comment about some cool baby-floater thingie without getting close or trying to be threatening, young mothers feel the need to push away and give me The Look.
But they’re not the only ones. Restaurant servers are next on the list, and almost every time, it comes with a certain degree of exasperation when they realize I’m blind to boot. It’s a double-whammy of great feelings. There’s a restaurant here in town where I walk in and immediately feel like a bug pinned to the wall. The Look seems to come with some great internal debate, like, “Ugh, can this homely looking guy actually pay?” Well, yeah, I can. You have no reason to suspect my money isn’t good just because I’m frigging weird looking.
That’s not all, though. It’s impossible to get many people to take me seriously, and when someone busts out The Look, I know I’m about to either be treated like a child or like I’m subhuman. At least I can anticipate it. That’s nice. Clerks can be the worst at that. Ask them to help find something, and out comes The Look, like I’m hatching some master scheme to rob the grocery store of its Butterfingers and Triscuits. I stepped foot into my old office recently needing a map copied and got The Look from a few different angles as I tried to explain what I needed. Try to strike up a conversation with a random person? There’s the Look.
There’s no real point to this post. It’s not something that’s going to change an d I can’t expect it to. There will always be people like me in society, who want to be normal and that’s an impossibility thanks to genetics and bad luck. But… just do me one favor. Try not to be the one giving The Look, okay?
The Rankin Flats Observer 
As one who works in the service industry (retail for 40 years) I’ve learned you can’t judge a book by its cover. There are plenty of times I’ve thought, wow, that guy can’t afford what he’s picking up. Then at the cash register he whips out more cash than I’ve carried in ten years. Be polite with a smile. Every customer is my customer.
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Absolutely. I used to work in a gift shop for a museum and many of the best customers I ever had I’ll admit I didn’t think much of when they came in the door, but I learned my lesson. Well, hopefully. I think we’re all a bit judgmental from time to time, but that’s part of being human, I suppose.
In any case, funniest great customers I ever had were a couple who came in on these beat motorcycles, hard-worn leathers covering ’em head to toe, just real crazy looking. Not only did they turn out to be incredibly nice, but they bought a few hundred bucks worth of stuff.
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