Pressing Your "Buttons"

Tonight I went to the movies with my cousin. We had fun but the theatre was pumping the air conditioning a little too much. I got chilly and, because I've got chronic lung problems, it made me cough now and then. And when I cough, it's loud. It's something I truly cannot help. I tried my best to keep it to a minimum.

As the movie ended, some asswad in the row behind us stood and made a very loud, obnoxious mock-cough at me. I turned in time to see his face and attire. As he left, he was laughing to his friends, as though he'd struck a great blow for theatre justice.

I was furious. I worked through the crowd, hoping to catch up to the asshole in time to ask what his problem was. At that point, I was prepared for eventual fisticuffs. I had no intention of throwing the first punch but I wasn't going to talk him down from a fight either. If he wanted to earn an assault record and pay thousands of dollars in reparations, that was a-okay with me.

It's a half-shame that I never found him. I checked the restrooms and everything but he slipped away. Perhaps he knew enough to make a swift exit before I caught up and let every other customer know what a rude, insensitive ass he was.

So I went for tacos instead. Everybody wins!


But to the point of this thread, making fun of me for any aspect of my chronic illness is likely to piss me off within seconds. It's a sensitive point and people have no right or justification to exploit it.

Similarly, I'm quick to snap if you blame me for something I didn't do. My anger intensifies if I tell you the truth and you label me as a liar on top of everything else. I expect this would upset many folk, but it makes me extremely short-tempered, more than other slights.

So, what "buttons" do you hate to have pressed?

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by RacinReaver

How would he know you have a chronic illness and not just some jackass that went out while having a cold? =\/

He wouldn't know. However, he assumed as much. Ultimately, it doesn't matter why I was coughing. His response was completely inappropriate.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by RacinReaver

So would it have been better if he had gone up to you and asked if you had a condition prior to saying how you detracted heavily from their movie-going experience?

Yeah, it would've. Or something less purposefully abrasive, at least.

What's this "detracted from their moving-going experience" bullshit? Fuck him. I've just as much right to go see a movie as that asswipe.

He had the entire length of the movie to lean forward and say something. He chose not to. Mocking me as he left was petty and rude. Then he made sure I couldn't find him, like a freakin' coward. Why the hell should I give a damn about his movie experience after that?

It's not as though I have control over the air conditioning. Nor should I have to wear heavy clothes to the theatre while it's 90 degrees and humid outside.

The guy was a jackass. Why are you hassling me about this?

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.