Friday, July 8, 2011

Uh Oh...I forgot I was fat!

Okay, so I haven't been very diligent in writing this blog, but I think that I do have some stuff to declare and it's time that I get to it!

I have been blessed with an opportunity to have weight loss surgery and to reap the benefits of my hard work in the last 15 or so months. However, that hasn't changed the fact that I still think of myself as a 'fat chick.' To compound this problem, the whole world thinks of me as a 'fat chick' **eek, go get your torches and pitch forks**

To some, the latter statement might seem to be an over-generalization, but the world does indeed abhor fat people. My most recent experience illustrates this so well, that I hope to eloguently and poignantly express it to you, my readers and fans...

To set the mood PICTURE YOURSELF AT WAL-MART (this is the only department type store that we have in the little hell-hole, er, I mean "place" where we live). There is a hustle and a bustle all around you and you are checking out the produce. The number of people at Wal-Mart is astounding and you find yourself elbow-to-elbow with about 10 other people trying to get to the apples. Then... ...it happens! A lady, who is very well-dressed and coiffed, comes up to the apple stack and pushes her way to the front. You look at her, perhaps with a look of disdain on your face (after all, she just cut in front of all the other patrons) and she smirks at you. You smile back, hoping to make up for the derision that you had a second ago, and she states, "You really could use a few more apples in your diet... ...you could be so beautiful if only you lost those extra pounds!" It is here that you look up and really SEE the person who is speaking to you. It is here that you realize that she is talking to you and YOU are the 'potentially' pretty person of which she speaks. The other 10 people are aghast, but steadily work their way through the apples to make their purchases. A few onlookers begin to rubber neck (after all, this is Wal-Mart) and await your response to the well-dressed gal. You pause, thinking of something to say. A light comes on and you respond, "Thank you! I didn't realize I was fat! Holy cow! I should get on that right away, and thank you for the advice. You know, I was thinking, you would be so pretty if you weren't, well... ...so UGLY!" And you haughtily walk off, tail between your legs (not literally even if it is Wal-Mart)and head to the car so you can compose yourself and do all that you can to be LESS fat. The crowd of looky-loos snicker, and mumble, and laugh, but you can see that some of them are taking delight in the interaction...

Yes, this has happened to me. Even though I have lost over 300 lbs. Even though I feel fantastic, and am a pretty lady. This person had the gall to tell me what I needed to do in order to be 'pretty.' For those of us who handle obesity on a day-to-day basis, we have encountered this time and again. Unfortunately, the type of interaction I just described is not the first of its kind to happen to me. I have had it happen a lot, particularly when children used to see me and point at me like I was a circus act. For people who don't have a weight issue, or who don't realize that different isn't deficient, it seems like a good thing to point out the obvious to others. However, it isn't nice! Remember what Thumper says..."If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all!"

Was it kind of me to call her ugly? No, it was not! And, I regret my witty comeback (sort of) to this day. However, it hasn't changed the fact that people who are overweight and obese have to suffer through these moments nearly on a daily basis, just because they exist. Isn't it time that we all just move along, and encourage each other, instead of belabor others' shortcomings? I would hope so. There is an ad out that says that getting older makes things easier. The ad is referring to the discrimination that happens to LGBTQ youth when they are younger. I love the ad, but I also realize that things don't really get better with age; you just get more mature and can handle the meanness of others. It doesn't mention that people will still be mean... It's sad, sad world when a person has to be sorry for existing.

2 comments:

  1. made me think of Winston Churchill when confronted similarly for being drunk... he is reputed to have responded with "yes, Madam, I am drunk, but you are ugly... and in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly." There are always gonna be those that have to put someone else down to elevate themselves....

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  2. I am so glad I found your blog!!!! I have lost 189lbs since November 29th 2010!!!I still have 200 to go... You have become an inspiration to me!!!! I went back and read SEVERAL of the older blogs!!! I will continue to visit!!! <3

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