Discrimination or not?

 

I don't hold grudge at gay but...

I went shopping at golf specialty store for some gifts. There was a sign for golf balls on sale, but I didn't see the balls. So I asked a neat looking young man walked by, where I can find some. He just stood there and looked around, then said: " I don't know" and walked away. I assumed he went asking another person. That's what usually salesperson does. He walked quite girlishly and dressed very nice and clean. I waited and waited and no one comes. I eventually spotted that young man standing at the register counter. I was somewhat unhappy about that, but that's ok. I have a lot of golf balls. Who need another box? Forget it.

I picked 7 hats and approached the register. He started to ring in and I waited until he finished the rings and handed over my VIP card for him to scan. He said: oh, I already finished the process. I was a little shocked. My VIP card was usually scanned in at that moment. Sometimes the salesperson even asked me if I have the VIP card to scan in. I could get points and coupons depending on how much money I spent. I thought the least he can do is to restart the process and scan my card. Not that there is any customer waiting behind me.

I was really offended and stunned. So I paid as he told me and took my stuff from his hand and even thanked him. How silly I was?!

Then sitting in my car, I was feeling awful about it. I like being treated nice at stores. I don't really care about the points. It's the feeling of being looked over and dismissed that annoyed me. Was that discrimination? I never thought gay people as secondary. The way he conducted himself made sure I knew what he was. But now I suddenly developed grudge to his kind,,, strange ...

So I walked out of my car and went back to the store, and said: I'd like to return the goods. Still I was a chicken and didn't tell him why I wanted to return them, not even when the store manager asked if there was anything wrong. I should have. Rude people should be punished.

I drive to the same chain store near my neighborhood and bought the same items. The nice salesperson there treated me so warmly, I bought something else. We chatted and joked a little too.

After all, it's all about happiness in any daily little things we do, doesn't it?