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12-24-2012, 05:11 PM | #1 |
Crimson Guard
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Outworld
Posts: 1,652
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Okay, I'm a single guy with no kids in his late 20's and I toy hunt frequently at various stores like Wal Mart, Target, Toys R Us, etc. One thing I've noticed over the years is just how weirded out people, specifically parents with their kids, on toy aisles get by my presence. And for the longest time I haven't cared, just minded my own business.
I mean I can see where they come from...I'm a 6'4" slightly overweight white guy who quietly enters toy stores and goes up and down toy aisles, so, yeah sure even though I don't have kids I understand why a few parents glare or get nervous when I walk in. And like I said, for the longest time I haven't cared about this... But lately it's gotten out of hand. Maybe it's because it's Christmas break, and all the kids are out shopping with parents, or maybe it's the fact I've been working out more lately and just look that extra bit more menacing, or maybe both. It's gotten so bad to the point where, like the other day at TRU, I was standing on an aisle quietly sifting through the Transformers pegs, until all of a sudden I hear a Mom at the end of the aisle screaming "BILLY!!!! Come here now,now, HURRY!!!". I then casually look around and realize there's a little kid standing right next to me, who I honestly had no idea was even standing there until the screaming lunatic down the aisle burst my eardrums with her shriek. And as if that wasn't bad enough guess who heard the screams and came around the corner to see what was going on...my neighbor's wife, who's known me since I was 10, and has always been cordial and nice and a very overall friendly neighbor to me and my family over the years. She sees me first, smiles and says hi, and I return the favor, but then she sees the mom down the aisle talking to her kid and pointing at me, and my neighbor then looks at me and abruptly says goodbye. Now, the other day I drove home and my neighbor's wife was out in the yard and I waved while pulling in the driveway as usual and she didn't even look at me and wave back like she always does....I guess now she thinks I'm a creep So having said that, I begin this discussion to ask, who else out there is sick and tired of being villainized at toy stores by parents because you are a single grown man buying toys? The story above is only the most recent, and one of the worst I might add of the many many stories I have from over the years of toyshopping as an adult. And I know a lot of you reading this are parents yourselves who probably take your kids with you while you hunt, so while I appreciate your participating in this discussion, this thread is more geared to those who toy shop alone as a single grown man and want to vent their frustrating experiences also
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FEEDBACK: http://www.hisstank.com/forum/buy-se...ml#post3741414 Last edited by DarkParsifal; 12-24-2012 at 05:50 PM.. |
12-24-2012, 07:24 PM | #2 |
dreadnok4life
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Atlanta GA
Posts: 424
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naw man i think your looking at it all wrong. i hope when the parents see me coming they grab the little rugrats and get them the hell outta the way. what really bugs me is when parents dump their kids in the toy aisle unattended like it's the nursery.
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12-24-2012, 07:34 PM | #3 |
Question Authority
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Maine
Posts: 12,980
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I've never had a problem like that. In fact, I helped some parents pick out Transformers last week.
They were obviously confused about what was what, so I pointed out one thing they were looking for, and told them I was a TF fan. Their response? They handed me their boy's list and basically begged me to help 'em out! So, I spent the next few minutes pointing out what the kid wanted. You should have seen the list, man. It was super-detailed and even had the prices, right down to what each store was charging! We chatted a bit more, I handed them their list back, said "Good luck!", and we wished each other a Merry Christmas. It was actually a pretty cool experience. I don't know what to tell ya, man. Maybe you're just a scary-looking dude! It could also be just like agent said, and you're looking at it the wrong way. Do you feel self-conscious about people knowing you're an action figure fan? Last edited by Cobra Terrorist; 12-24-2012 at 07:40 PM.. |
12-24-2012, 07:53 PM | #4 |
Crimson Guard
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: WV
Posts: 3,155
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Never had anything that bad happen but had the weird looks and what not. Was bad enough for a while if I went toy shopping I'd stop by and pick up some wrapping paper so it'd look like I was gift shopping, and then leave the paper half way back to the checkout. Funny thing happened I guess it left so much there they moved the wrapping paper there lol.
Wal-Mart and places aren't so bad now but TRU sometimes if it's crowded I fall back on the gift paper. Amazeingly it helps avoid alot of crap. |
12-24-2012, 08:09 PM | #5 |
Ghost Ninja Killa
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: America
Posts: 601
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The last thing im paying attention when im looking at stuff is the people around. Well.... im probably checking out some hot MILFs but i dont care what's going on around.
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12-24-2012, 08:30 PM | #6 |
Crimson Guard
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Outworld
Posts: 1,652
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Quote:
Quote:
I've never had a problem like that......I don't know what to tell ya, man. Maybe you're just a scary-looking dude! It could also be just like agent said, and you're looking at it the wrong way. Do you feel self-conscious about people knowing you're an action figure fan?
And nope, not at all self conscious, I was self conscious about it when I was in high school, but for the past 10 years I honestly feel no shame whatsoever about it. But I know what you mean, it's like if you're self conscious about someone giving you bad looks or getting negative attention then you perceive everyone as giving you bad looks and negative attention. Truth is I don't even look at people when I go in stores, however sometimes eye contact is just unavoidable. Quote:
Never had anything that bad happen but had the weird looks and what not. Was bad enough for a while if I went toy shopping I'd stop by and pick up some wrapping paper so it'd look like I was gift shopping, and then leave the paper half way back to the checkout. Funny thing happened I guess it left so much there they moved the wrapping paper there lol.
Wal-Mart and places aren't so bad now but TRU sometimes if it's crowded I fall back on the gift paper. Amazeingly it helps avoid alot of crap. But yeah that's funny they moved the giftwrap station. I can just imagine some overworked employee finding giftwrap in that same weird spot night after night, having to move it back to it's original location night after night, and just saying to hell with it, and moving the whole gift wrap section. I know the hot milf trim is everywhere in those toy stores, but it's hard for me to check them out, because they think when I'm staring at their ass, that I'm looking at their kid or something instead, and then they give me an uncomfortable look and rush off.
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FEEDBACK: http://www.hisstank.com/forum/buy-se...ml#post3741414 Last edited by DarkParsifal; 12-24-2012 at 08:35 PM.. |
12-24-2012, 08:44 PM | #7 |
Crimson Guard
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: WV
Posts: 3,155
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I've been tempted lately to go back to that Wal-Mart and pick something to slowly start moving to a different spot to see if it happens again.
Hopefully that won't happen to you again DarkParsifal. Maybe it was just the stress of Christmas shopping and all that. Maybe wait a few days or til after New Years and go see your neighbor. Hope it all works out to the good. |
12-24-2012, 09:34 PM | #8 |
Broca Beach Realtor
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Broca Beach
Posts: 8,260
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Cmon mods. This was a problem the op wanted tech support to solve.
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"[Zarana] it's obvious by how many post[sic] you have... That you live a sheltered life...probably surrounded by your toys" Last edited by Zarana; 12-24-2012 at 09:42 PM.. |
12-24-2012, 10:03 PM | #9 |
Retired Toy Hunter
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Burbank, Ca.
Posts: 12,048
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Jinx723's Feedback | Jinx723's BST He who dies with the most toys... is still dead |
12-25-2012, 09:50 PM | #10 |
Crimson Guard
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 1,045
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You're guilty of being a man! Just kidding. But if you're travelling alone on a plane and seated next to a child, you will be moved to another seat. True story. That's gender discrimination and assumes all men are pedophiles. I get how you feel. Like you, I shop alone and get self-conscious about it.
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