Strangers are Mean!

As a general rule I try to be a friendly stranger. I hold the door open for people behind me, and if I make eye contact I smile at the people I pass. You can understand my shock then when a complete stranger passing me downtown today said:

"There goes that ugly biotch!"

(She said the real word but my mom reads this, I have to keep it clean).

"There she goes into the Bargain Store..."

(ya, I shop there)

"...that girl is such a biotch!"

I looked around and sure enough I was the only girl walking into the Bargain Store, was she really talking about me? I wanted to say something back to her but I was in such shock that nothing could come out of my mouth. It's not so much that somebody might think I am a biotch, or that I'm ugly for that, but SHE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW ME! Who says that about a complete stranger? I know I have seen her around downtown before, she's easy to spot. She wears baggy pants, oversized hoodies, a ball cap, and rolls those Heelies. I know I've seen her but I've never once talked to her, yelled at her, or punched her in the face, although her comments made me reflect back and wonder if in fact I had. I did my browsing in the Bargain Store and thought up all kinds of things I could say back to her to defend myself and reclaim my dignity, but when I left the store she had already gone. I know I'll see her again soon, and even though all I want to do is walk right up to her, spit in her face and tell her she's late for football practice (thus illustrating that somewhere inside I really am a biotch), I will just walk past her in my carefully planned outfit for work, knowing that somewhere someone thinks I'm nice.... and pretty too.