So a lot has been said about being fat and having everyone in the world feel like they can give you health advice, but there is a flip side to this that drives me a little crazy as well. Because they believe my health is their business, they apparently also believe that their health is my business.
So today, in a computer lab, about 5 minutes after I met a woman (and was nice enough to give her a recommendation for getting her mother a mobility scooter and told her about how Modest Needs helped me get my scooter), I found myself having to be polite while she told me not only about all the weight she has lost and gave me the website for her doctor's herbal products, but as she described to me her symptoms, including vaginal itching. Really, you've known me for five minutes and you are going to tell me about THAT?!?!
There was a definite language/cultural barrier as well, so I was at a loss as to how to explain to her that I've written a book about fat acceptance and that I don't want to lose weight and so forth.
Just to really put a cherry on the proverbial sundae, she concluded her disclosure with the declaration that God had told her to tell me all this. So now I'm supposed to regard vaginal itching as a message from God.
I honestly had nothing to say at that point. I just smiled and nodded and wished I was any where else in the world and wondered what star was sitting in what house that made me attractive to all the nuts of the world today.
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9 comments:
Suffering catfish! I've had people tell me things about themselves that I'd rather not know, but I've been blessedly free of people sharing the tales of their groinal itching with me.
And then to blame it on God... oh dearie me.
Thanks for a great laugh and a reminder to count my own blessings.
Oh how funny! Though I'm sure it didn't seem it at the time. Thanks for sharing the story. I can't even imagine having to sit through all that from a stranger.
So now I'm supposed to regard vaginal itching as a message from God.
Pattie, this just made my day. Well, it almost caused me to drop my laptop because I was laughing so hard, anyway.
That is all very interesting, Patty, but let me tell you about my bowel movements...
;-)
If someone gets that embarrassingly personal, I would like to think I'd have the courage to say: "This is NOT fit conversation for virtual strangers. Please, I ask you not to share or to give me health advice. Change the subject, if you would."
I, too have always been gifted in the way people will come up to me on the street or at my cafe and tell me their life story, health issues, etc. I've never asked and often don't realize they're talking to me until they request a response. I must say I laughed at the itching as a message from god. Killed me.
Wow, you must just have the kind of personality that makes people open up about the most personal aspects of their body.
It's fine to overshare but to then say god made me do it is just ridiculous. I wonder how many people she felt the need to tell that story too that day.
@Layla -- I think if there hadn't been an obvious language barrier (which included me trying to figure out if I really heard her telling me about her itching or was I just mis-hearing something in the heavy accent) I probably would have been more assertive. As it was, I had the feeling that there were more than the usual barriers to breaking through with a fat positive message.
@Moe -- My guess is that she tells the story a lot. She struck me as someone who had the need to share, if you know what I mean.
I too get randoms telling me their whole life stories complete with very intimate details. Of course, my being fat means that I get every single weight loss method and diet and exercise and blah blah blah... you know how it goes.
I really don't know what it is that seems to mark me as the kind of person that gives a toss!
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