Saying the wrong thing and being snapped at

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Earlier this evening, I was at my campus bookstore. I was looking at something electronic and noticed a woman standing near one of the register desks where the electronics are sold. At first I thought maybe she was a store clerk who was expert in things like selling laptops or computers. So, I proceeded to look at a nook and mind my own business. It was then that she approached me by asking, "This probably is a silly question but I was wondering if you had any benedryl?" I thought she had somehow gotten the idea that I may have been one of the store clerks. I responded by saying," I don't work here so I couldn't tell you." She replied with an escalating "Well I am having an allergic reaction right now and so I needed to have some benedryl." She then stormed off as if I had put her on offense for saying the wrong thing. I politely responded by saying, "I didn't mean to be rude ma'am." She ignored what I said then went to ask other people.

Did I say the wrong answer to her? If I did, that was my bad.

Don't beat youself up. I think you handled it perfectly.

I think it happens, I can't imagine life without making those kind of mistakes. Though I do initially panic at stuff like that too.

Bun, same here and so I can't judge the girl too badly. However, in my mind, I felt like she was being manipulative by trying to make me feel bad for her as if she were the center of attention. After she walked away, this girl went off and asked some other people in line and they told her "No," which caused her to leave the store.

I took the initiative to tell a few clerks in the store about her just in case she may have been a panhandler or something. To me, anyone in their right mind would have explained to me in a more calm manner. When she acted like that, it blind sided me.

They explained to me that they were out of benedryl and were looking for some in the first aid kit. I told them to keep an eye out on her behavior and what she looked like.

I think 'manipulative' is probably the right word as well, there is a certain type of people who take advantage of someone else's reaction for their own histrionics. You were right in telling someone else about it.

Thank you very much you have been very helpful. I was so shocked at what she said and how she said it that I wanted to talk to some of the other people in line. Although., I quietly walked up and said, "Was she ever rude."

No problem.

Never forget that there are still some bat-loco-crazy people in this world. Their responses don't make sense to ANYONE.

I would say she was either really having a bad reaction and getting frantic, or being a drama queen (which is the same as saying she's being manipulative of your emotions).

She sounds like she just wanted attention. You get people like that sometimes I wouldn't worry about it. It seems to me that you were polite.

Benedryl is for allergies and if she was having an allergic reaction it could have been serious. I doubt benedryl is the right pill for whatever was happening to her, but it sounds like urgency more than any desire to be rude to you.

I'd think if it was a serious or health-threatening situation, she would not have time or incentive to be overly dramatic.

Exactly.