Thursday night Jackie and I went to the free showing by CAB of Back to the Future at RIT. There were very few people there, so we had plenty of choice in seating, but I followed Jackie to a seat without looking much at where other people might be nearby. We sat down, and then heard the person behind me say, “This guy’s too tall; I’m moving over.” I thought that was rather amusing, and turned around with a grin to see if she had been successful in moving over. When she saw that I had noticed what she said, she said, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that, that was rude.” I really didn’t mind, and I just found it funny, but Jackie thought it was pretty rude.
Maybe it was just my tired state, but when I got home around 12:30 I still thought that was amusing. However, I wondered why it was I reacted so differently from Jackie. The next day (at about the same late hour, in fact) I discovered part of the answer. First, I find a lot of things funny. I’m always seeing the humor in the little things people do or the situations that occur. Secondly, and more to the point, I didn’t consider the comment rude because I tend to tease people with possibly-rude comments myself, intended to amuse rather than to offend. Therefore, I’m used to such things, so the effect of such comments toward me is usually amusement rather than taking of offense.
I’m curious: How would you have reacted? A laugh? A retort? (Perhaps an incapacitating glare, like someone I know?) What is the typical response to rude comments by strangers? And just how unusual am I, anyway? 
Heh, ok, I find it funny. And I would have found it funny had someone said that about me. I suppose I also tend to find humor in the things people do. I actually had a similar encounter with a man at a theatre. Only, he was commenting on the fact that we should “be in church” since it was Wednesday night and we looked to him somewhat “Mennonite.” I confess, I laughed and explained to him in a good natured way why it was we do not have church Wednesday nights in the first place.
Rude comments from strangers should almost never be taken personally, I don’t believe. If they were, a person’s heart could become greatly, and un-needingly, burdened, I think.
I would have taken it good-naturedly and been quietly amused. But I probably wouldn’t have laughed (unless it was somebody I knew, in which it would be funnier.)
I don’t think it was necessarily rude, but I would have felt horrible for blocking someone’s view. I would have thought that I was the rude one!
Well, if I had noticed or they had asked, I would have moved… but they didn’t really give me a chance.