I was once walking in Canadian Tire with my wife... I had a large blue backpack on, with red straps. Highly visible. My wife had a purse over her shoulder. About 30 seconds into the store, we start looking around to see who's screaming, what's going on... turns out it's the security for the store. When I make eye contact with security, they start screaming and pointing at me "GET HER BAG! GET HER BAG!"... they quickly approach us and scold my wife for not leaving her purse at the front of the store, despite the blue backpack with red straps on my shoulders that they haven't mentioned until I push it in their face... They keep telling her "There's a sign right at the entrance" as if she's stupid for not seeing the sign, and they tell this to ME... like, super aggressive and annoyed, but implying that SHE was the one who didn't see the sign... I would think maybe they treat everyone who doesn't acknowledge the sign this way, but like I say, I had a much larger, brighter bag on my own shoulders. The message is constantly "You don't belong here."
So after they leave, we talk a bit, and my wife starts to cry, and we retrieve her purse and leave.
This type of situation has happened to my wife and I since living in this town many many times. These instances are hard to explain to someone who isn't there, but believe me when I say they take a toll on my wife's mental health. Several times we've been followed around stores so blatantly that we've left furious, often with her in tears.
We don't have a single serious friendship in this city because every time we try to make a friend, they drop an N-bomb. Or say something about Natives taking advantage of the system... I'm shaking right now writing this. My wife is constantly threatening to move away, because it's pure anxiety living in Canada's equivalent of Trumpland, and people on here want to mock and belittle. I'm sick of it and I'm done with it.
The trolls on here are relentless. Steve has left, along with his 12 aliases and I really don't blame him. The Sports Bar isn't the place for guys like Steve anymore.
I always ask forgiveness when I've crossed the line, via PM and often publicly laying on the sword... because I have a sense of shame. Because I VALUE this online community that I've been a part of close to 20 years. But I recognize that I've contributed to some of the harsh negativity that has driven away some posters, and I feel bad about that. I don't plan to continue that. Others feel free to burn the place to ashes. You do you.
So after they leave, we talk a bit, and my wife starts to cry, and we retrieve her purse and leave.
This type of situation has happened to my wife and I since living in this town many many times. These instances are hard to explain to someone who isn't there, but believe me when I say they take a toll on my wife's mental health. Several times we've been followed around stores so blatantly that we've left furious, often with her in tears.
We don't have a single serious friendship in this city because every time we try to make a friend, they drop an N-bomb. Or say something about Natives taking advantage of the system... I'm shaking right now writing this. My wife is constantly threatening to move away, because it's pure anxiety living in Canada's equivalent of Trumpland, and people on here want to mock and belittle. I'm sick of it and I'm done with it.
The trolls on here are relentless. Steve has left, along with his 12 aliases and I really don't blame him. The Sports Bar isn't the place for guys like Steve anymore.
I always ask forgiveness when I've crossed the line, via PM and often publicly laying on the sword... because I have a sense of shame. Because I VALUE this online community that I've been a part of close to 20 years. But I recognize that I've contributed to some of the harsh negativity that has driven away some posters, and I feel bad about that. I don't plan to continue that. Others feel free to burn the place to ashes. You do you.
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