Special Snowflake Stories

[LadyPekoe]

I do have to say, if it was the same situation but with one seat to either side of the poster and her friend, there weren't other seats available, and I asked nicely if they minded moving down just one seat so DH and I could sit together, I'd probably think they were being rather selfish if they said no.  I try to arrive at a theater soon enough to have my pick of seats, but sometimes it just isn't possible.

Normally, I'd agree with you. I don't mind so much being asked - nicely - to move a seat or two over by an individual patron. But for some reason, when it's the usher standing there yelling at the whole theater, I find it annoying. And when I'm settled in my seat, with my coat, purse, popcorn, etc., it is kind of irritating to have to pick up everything and shift over. But maybe it has more to do with the yelling than with the request itself.

In the situation in the OP, though, with the gap in front of them, I don't think the OP would be selfish to refuse to move one seat over. If it wouldn't change the experience significantly, sure. But, in this particular situation, it would have changed the OP's experience. As a...er..."vertically challenged" person myself, I can appreciate how great it was for the OP to find seats where no one would be blocking the view of the screen. So it was arguably a somewhat unique situation.

DF and I always get to movies significantly early to get the perfect seat (for us, either front and center, or in the first row that starts inclining in stadium seating and center).  We don't move for anyone--I think you should get to the movie earlier if you need to sit together.  And I have no tolerance for groups that come to sneak previews/opening nights ten minutes before it starts.

[caranfin]

I do have to say, if it was the same situation but with one seat to either side of the poster and her friend, there weren't other seats available, and I asked nicely if they minded moving down just one seat so DH and I could sit together, I'd probably think they were being rather selfish if they said no.  I try to arrive at a theater soon enough to have my pick of seats, but sometimes it just isn't possible.

Normally, I'd agree with you. I don't mind so much being asked - nicely - to move a seat or two over by an individual patron. But for some reason, when it's the usher standing there yelling at the whole theater, I find it annoying. And when I'm settled in my seat, with my coat, purse, popcorn, etc., it is kind of irritating to have to pick up everything and shift over. But maybe it has more to do with the yelling than with the request itself.

In the situation in the OP, though, with the gap in front of them, I don't think the OP would be selfish to refuse to move one seat over. If it wouldn't change the experience significantly, sure. But, in this particular situation, it would have changed the OP's experience. As a...er..."vertically challenged" person myself, I can appreciate how great it was for the OP to find seats where no one would be blocking the view of the screen. So it was arguably a somewhat unique situation.

I agree. In most cases, moving down one seat won't make a difference in your viewing experience. But in this case, it would.

[high dudgeon]

I love this! I really, really hate it when the theater employees stand in the theater and start yelling at everyone to "move in." I understand that this means that the showing is likely sold out. And I know that it's annoying to have to get past people. But I don't think that I should have to move out of the seat I got there early to be able to pick out, just for the convenience of those who chose to get there later, and who should have been well aware that the movie in question is very popular (recent examples would be Iron Man and The Dark Knight). DH and I get there early so that we can get seats we want, and so that we can sit together.

POD!

DH and I went out for dinner and a movie for an anniversary. We allowed an extra hour before the movie to stand in line for the BigBlockbusterDateMovie, but we should have allowed two hours. When we got into the theater, there weren't two seats together in the whole theater. We went back to the ticket counter and exchanged our tickets for a showing the next day. It wasn't the end of the world. I don't think anyone should have had to move so I could sit with my husband, and this was one movie I wanted to watch with him. The burden was on me to figure out how early was early enough, get their that early and find available seats that would work for us. Conversely, I would not move around once I'd settled in (if it mattered to me), to let someone else have two seats together. If you can't come back for another showing, you can watch the movie separately and meet up with your friends in the lobby afterward. I've done that plenty of times too.

[bigozzy]

My favorite cinema has bookable seats which is one of the reasons it is my favorite cinema.


The other day I took my family out for a treat at a local cafe. It was raining pretty heavily so I had my big golf umbrella with me which at left just inside the front door in the bin they provide.

I looked up from ordering to see a young woman grabbing my umbrella.

I pointed out that it was mine. And she said "I was going to bring it back"

Cue raised eyebrow from me.

"But it's raining outside"

Imagine that! Rain in Scotland in January.

[Dindrane]

One encounters quite a few special snowflakes when riding public buses.  Mostly, it's pretty mild stuff (like sitting on the outside of a row of seats so you don't have to share, even when it's standing room only).  But there was one time that was pretty ridiculous.

The bus I ride to get home in the evenings is usually full, but it's rare for there to not be enough seats - as long as nobody takes up more than one seat.

So one time, there were, oh, half a dozen people on this bus who obviously knew each other.  I, unfortunately, can never get to this bus early, and realize that often means I don't get my choice of seats (or a seat at all, if it's very full).  But these half a dozen people were each occupying two seats by sitting against the window, and propping their legs up on the second seat.

I probably should have asked one of them to let me sit, but I didn't really feel like making an issue of it, and just decided to stand.  I'm only on this bus for about 10 minutes, anyway.

But then, on top of taking up far more than their fair share of space, these half a dozen people proceeded to talk about their parole agreements and officers extremely loudly until they got off the bus.  A little noise is expected when riding a public bus, but I really prefer not to be an unwilling participant in other people's conversations.

It really didn't help that one of them made a crack about half the bus getting off when they got to their stop.  Because, really, only a quarter of the bus was getting off, but they were taking up half the seats.

[nutraxfornerves]

I used to take a light rail train to work. Seats were always at a premium. Fortunately, my stop was at the beginning of the line, so I almost always got to sit. Like a lot of women, I wore athletic shoes and change dint the office. So I always carried a gym bag large enough to hold my purse, my shoes, my lunch and maybe the newspaper. The train had seats facing each other & there wasn't room to put anything on the floor (even if you wanted to set your stuff down on top of the unknown sticky substances), so most people put their briefcase, purse, shopping bag or whatever on their lap.

I got on one day and sat across from Mr. Snowflake, who had a bag about the same size as mine on the seat next to him. As the car filled up., I moved my bag to my lap so someone could sit next to me, but Mr. SF kept his on the seat. People looked at him, glared at him, and made "ahem" noises, but Mr. SF did nothing as the aisles filled up with standees.

Finally, a woman politely asked him to move the bag so she could sit. He just looked at the bag and shrugged. She repeated her request. He was shocked. "You don't expect me to put it on my lap, do you?" The woman looked pointedly at me with my bag on my lap, then said, "Did you buy it a ticket? That's the only way it's entitled to a seat."

He moved it.

[siamesecat2965]

Finally, a woman politely asked him to move the bag so she could sit. He just looked at the bag and shrugged. She repeated her request. He was shocked. "You don't expect me to put it on my lap, do you?" The woman looked pointedly at me with my bag on my lap, then said, "Did you buy it a ticket? That's the only way it's entitled to a seat."

He moved it.

HAHAHAHA - what a great response!  I just wish I could think quickly like that!

[drebay]

Yeah another movie theatre story.  Not I, but my brother.

He and his best friend got there early.  Nice middle seats for a sold out show.  d@ting couple comes in and only sees single seats left.  They tell bro and friend that they need to move and sit separately since they aren't on a date.  Apparently d@ting people need to sit together more than mere friends.

Bro refused of course.  Not sure what happened after that.

They could have said that they were also on a date.

[lollergirl]

i was at the optical center picking up my contacts the other day.  there were two cashiers and two lines, each two customers deep. the special snowflake (SS) breezes past both lines & right up to the cashier (C) finishing my transaction.

C: (briefly glances up at SS then goes back to my transaction) i'm sorry, ma'am, but you'll need to get in line.
SS: but i just have a quick questi...
C: (without looking up at SS) you'll need to get in line & wait you turn.
SS: (holds up a pair of singlasses) but i just have a yes or no question ab...
C: (looks SS dead in the eye) no.
SS huffs, spins on her heel & stomps away

everyone in line golf clapped.

[hope]

Then there was day we caught a neighbor lifting her dog OVER our fence (it was short, probably less than 3 feet tall) so he could do his business in our yard.  When my DH told her to take a hike, she became very indignant and informed him that Mr. Fluffykins did NOT like to poop on cement and needed grass.  We now have a 6 foot fence.  Not because of the dog but it sure solved that problem.  Who knows how long she had been doing this, we did have the occasional mystery poo in the yard but one of our tenants had a dog and we thought it was him (and blaming him for something he probably didn't even do.   )  

   And I am sure  she was willing to come and pick up said "present" right after the deposit was made, right?


My story is like another one on here.  My neighbor across the street was having a yard sale.  Saturday about 9:00 am I leave to run errands.  My husband's car is in OUR driveway and I am parked in front of our home.  SS drives up and parks behind DH's car.  She gets out and goes to the passsenger side to help a very elderly lady get out.  I see this and shut off my car and walk up to her and say "Excuse me.  You cannot park in my driveway."

SS: "But the street is full and she cannot walk far.  We won't be long looking at that yard sale."

Me:  "I am leaving.  You can park on the street.  But if my DH has an emergency and needs to leave immediately you cannot be blocking him in.  He won't know who you are."

SS:  "But we will just be over there!"

Me: "move it."

She did and later my neighbor apologized but I told her it wasn't her fault.  She didn't tell people to park there.

[extranormal]

I was at school with a woman who demanded we change the time of a study group because she had a conflict. Her husband (for some reason, she always pronounced that word as if it were in italics), you see, was a professional tennis coach and they were traveling to a tournament. He was a professional athlete, you know, so we had to accommodate his schedule.

We did not. And the beauty part was, one of the other women in the study group was going to have to miss a few days because she was accompanying her husband to the Pro Bowl (the NFL's version of the all-star game). She was married to one of the most famous and beloved football players in the country, and she never once made an issue of it.

[Venus193]

One morning in the post office there was a woman at the counter who kept asking about every safety precaution regarding delivery and every price difference.  At every answer she would ask "But will it get there on time?" or "Is that the safest way?" or "How is that delivered?"  This must have taken 10 minutes for a single envelope... whose destination was only a few zip codes away.  Considering that the post office in my area has shortened its hours despite more people moving into the neighborhood, you can imagine how this neurotic woman was trying the patience of everyone behind her on the line.

[Mrs. Eclipse]

I was at school with a woman who demanded we change the time of a study group because she had a conflict. Her husband (for some reason, she always pronounced that word as if it were in italics), you see, was a professional tennis coach and they were traveling to a tournament. He was a professional athlete, you know, so we had to accommodate his schedule.

We did not. And the beauty part was, one of the other women in the study group was going to have to miss a few days because she was accompanying her husband to the Pro Bowl (the NFL's version of the all-star game). She was married to one of the most famous and beloved football players in the country, and she never once made an issue of it.

Perhaps that's why Mrs. Tennis coach did.

[wordgirl]

Ah, great thread.

Had one at a recent doctor visit. She was running late; her first appointment was at 8:30 and that person was just being taken back when I arrived for my 9 a.m. appointment, and there were two others waiting who had appointments before me. OK, fine - I texted my boss that I was going to be later than planned.

In comes Special Snowflake Patient. Her appointment is at 9:30, but she's come in early (this was a little before 9) "so she can get seen early." Apparently she pictured the doctor just sitting in the back kicking her heels until her day really started at 9:30 with the arrival of the most wonderful fantastic patient in the world.

When she's told the doctor is actually running late, she has a meltdown and demands to be seen early anyway. Yes, she specifically said she wanted to be seen before all the other people who were waiting and had appointment times before her. In a voice perfectly audible to all the people who were waiting and had appointment times before her. If glares could ignite flesh, she'd have been in flames. She flounced out when told no.

I also had a movie-theater incident about a year ago, when I broke my foot. My sweet and considerate date made a point of getting there early (We actually waited while they finished cleaning it) so we could sit in the second row of stadium seating - there are two seats in the middle that don't have seats in front of them, but do have a railing that I could prop my foot on. That was awesome, because otherwise it would get swollen and pretty painful.

About 10 minutes later, a woman comes up with her son and stands in the empty space in front of the railing. BIG bright smile. "Oh, you're in our seats!" My date: Your seats? Her "Yeah, that's where my son and I always sit. Do you mind moving?"

My date looks around the theater, which is filling up but still has plenty of seats. Then he looks at me totally flummoxed. (All this time, the woman had basically been ignoring me sitting there with my big black airboot.) So I told her no, sorry. Had it been up to my date, he probably would have caved in - which is obviously what she was counting on.

Her poor son looked so embarrassed. Entitled woman!

[gibsongirl]

SS (scoffing): But I come in here every day.

"Then you know that the line starts back there!"

Speaking of movie theaters:  I love the snowflakes who are so special that they cannot stand up to let you pass into your seat, even if you've politely said "excuse me, may I get by?"   I'd like to personally thank the husband and wife who nearly catapulted me into their laps AND the row in front of us with that little trick.