Safeway security guard

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Today I had barely walked inside Safeway when some dude in a security guard uniform had the nerve to walk towards me, with an over exaggeration of my walking gait. "You got a pimp walk", he had the nerve to tell me. "The way that I walk is a function of autism", I told him.

Then I went to the litterbox and after I came out he said "Im sorry. I didn't mean no disrespect. I kind of like the way you walk".

The whole thing was on video tape, s**t

If I were to make fun of the way a customer at my workplace was walking, maybe I would have gotten made redundant

(Besides, plenty of medical conditions affect gait. For example, Parkinson's). I didn't tattle on him, but maybe I should have tattled

Maybe he was trying to be friendly and engage you in conversation? He apologized when he saw that you didn't like what he said.

Bee

Not everyone defines and measures "friendliness" the same way

Yes, like you said, it is possible he was trying to be "friendly", but I don't think that was a good way to be "friendly" or "engage in conversation ". However I am not telepathic. For all I know, maybe all eight billion precious lil "people" in the solar system would have found the way he had the nerve to imitate the way I walked, amusing.

However, if I had the nerve to imitate the way a customer walked, while I was at work, maybe I would have gotten made redundant. ("Ableism"). The way I walk is natural for me and I find it insulting for him to make fun of it. Granted he has freedom of speech, but everyone has freedom of speech and he was not doing his job. Besides he could have just ignored me.

That is not the first time someone had the nerve to make fun of the way I walked

He doesn't even know me that well. If he knew me better, there is no limit to the number of things he would have made fun of

And he was on duty as a security guard, too

At my job, a security guard had the nerve to tell a different security guard "he look like he got a language barrier"

Diversity, ableism

Some annoying lil dipshits are so f*****g full of themselves

Besides he bothered me, right at the entrance of Safeway. On videotape.

f**k that ass hole

I don't know if everyone else in the world would have found what he did amusing, but I did not. And not professional either.

My guess is that he was being a tad malicious but backed off when he figured out he might get into trouble for it. Safeway's management crows about its reputation on diversity and inclusion, and wouldn't take kindly to an employee bringing them into disrepute in case they get downgraded by the Human Rights Buyers' Guide or whatever.

I don't think it was a benign mistake. Granted, some cultures like a dash of teasing in the mix, but it's not officially seen as the right way to treat strangers, especially when it's a cop or para-cop. Attack the dignity of a police officer like that and see for yourself if you don't believe me. But enforcement staff are somewhat notorious for doing that number on ordinary people if they think they can get away with it. Authority goes to the heads of some people.

Still, that's just my interpretation. I wasn't even there, and I can't read minds, so I can't speak with certainty.

It sounds like he tried to teasingly compliment you, got awkward and gave up.

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It happened right @ the entrance of Safeway. It was on videotape. I find it hard to imagine that it was that hard for him or took him that long to "figure out that he might get in trouble for it." On the other hand, I did not tattle on him. As usual, all I wanted to do was waste my chump change on overpriced slop, and then take the bus back to my kennel. I *really really really* did not want to sit around trying to have a conversation with the manager (and I especially did not want to have to dial a phone number, in order to tattle on him. I do not like talking on the phone, and tattling on him was not a good reason to talk on the phone.)

Nowadays, plenty of companies put on a *song and dance* about "diversity and inclusion". Yes, diversity is better than discrimination. However, diversity for the sake of diversity, does nothing. Furthermore, home depot, where i work, also puts on a song and dance about "diversity". But almost everyone that works there has the same personality (Extroverted Judgmental Feeling). And almost everyone that works there, appears, to me, to be from two particular minority races. My first name is not in English, and plenty of managers and supervisors just assumed how to pronounce my name. Some of those ass holes, even had the nerve to tell me that *they* knew how to pronounce my name and * I * did not. (How's that for "diversity"?). (Things not always the way they appear.) But I think the "real" reason why some companies put on "song and dance" about "diversity", is b/c the companies want to appeal to a larger customer base. Financial reasons only. Quite frankly, I do not think there is any justified reason to put on "song and dance" about "diversity."

I was there, but I am not telepathic. Ten different people might make the same action or statement, for then different reasons. There is not enough information, to determine "why" he had the nerve to make fun of the way I walked.

And I really do *not* feel safe. If he could not be trusted to act in a more or less civilized manner, right in front of the videotape, then I do not want to know how he would act when he is not in front of the videotape. Also, it makes me jealous, b/c some ass holes get away with plenty of s**t, while I often get blamed for things that (1) I did not do (2) I did but are not bad or wrong (3) are bad or wrong, but not nearly bad enough to justify the punishment/reaction I got.

I think that's very likely. There really is a Human Rights Buyers' Guide, Safeway claims to be in there, so I guess they think its readers will reward them for their trouble in getting the necessary boxes checked to qualify. Labour relations can be a bit different.

As for the security man's questionable comment to you about the way you walked, we'll never know why, but I find it hard to imagine anybody but a jerk would approach a stranger with that comment. I think the fact that you revealed your disability was the thing that made him reconsider. I suppose it's possible he originally thought you were some kind of druggie troublemaker and that was his way of alerting you to the fact that the security people were watching you. It's a weird way to go about it, but enforcement staff do have some strange ways. We had a weird one at work who was needlessly aggressive. I crossed swords with him a couple of times. There was once another one on a North Sea ferry who dealt with me calmly, fairly and firmly when I lost my temper. It depends who you get.

"Can", "should" and "will" are three different things

Keep in mind that security guards are sometimes people who wanted to be cops but didn't qualify. That doesn't often lead to a good attitude or good self-image, which in turn leads to bad behavior. I've had some unpleasant encounters with security guards but mostly just try to not pay attention to them. I understand that you were insulted and didnt want to have to experience that, of course, but maybe don't let it matter so much to you?

bee

thank you very much for your answer.

plenty of people tried and failed to achieve (what they correctly or wrongly) fancied as their ideal jobs. not everyone has the same ideal job. plenty of people do not work at their ideal jobs, for many reasons: personality, health, luck, intelligence. not everyone that failed to get their ideal job, chooses to take out their frustration, on customers at their workplace.

in undergrad, i got to Solid Mechanics II in Structural Engineering BS and then academic dismissal. My self imagine and attitude are not perfect or awesome. My behavior is not flawless either. And now I work @ Home Depot as a lot attendant. Pushing carts and loading merchandise. Unskilled labor. However, I do not take out my frustration on customers.

yes, i am trying to not let it matter so much to me. however, plenty of ass holes have the nerve to disrespect me, just b/c they do not like my appearance. the security guard was just the most recent example.