Witness the worst! My grandma just got treated horribly at a fancy boutique while looking for a dress for my wedding. A rude salesperson made the worst comments about her. This is how I stood up for her.
My grandma has always been my hero. She’s the sweetest, most loving person you’ll ever meet. So, when she went to a local dress shop to find something special for my upcoming wedding, I was really excited for her. But what happened next left me absolutely fuming.
Gran went to this supposedly high-end boutique in town, hoping to find a dress to make her feel beautiful on my big day. She wanted something elegant and special. However, things didn’t go as planned at all.
As Gran walked into the shop, the assistant, a young woman with a sneer plastered on her face, looked her up and down with obvious disdain. “Can I help you?” she asked, her tone dripping with condescension.
Gran, always polite, smiled and said, “Yes, I’m looking for a dress for my granddaughter’s wedding.”
The assistant raised an eyebrow and smirked. “For you? Well, good luck finding something that won’t look like a tent on you. Our dresses are for more, uh, modern figures. But go ahead, knock yourself out.”
Gran felt a little hurt but decided to browse anyway. She’s always been the kind of person who doesn’t let negativity get to her. She found a lovely dress and asked if they had it in her size. The assistant laughed, a harsh sound that echoed in the quiet store, and said, “Oh, honey, we don’t carry sizes that big. Maybe try a store that specializes in plus-size. You know, places that cater to, um, larger ladies.”
Trying to keep her composure, Gran pointed to another dress and asked, “What about this one? It looks like it might fit.”
The assistant sighed dramatically, clearly annoyed. “Look, we really don’t have anything here that would suit someone as old and overweight as you. Maybe you should stop dreaming and face reality. You’re way out of your league in a store like this. Honestly, why don’t you try losing some weight before embarrassing yourself in places like this?”
Grandma was mortified. She left the shop feeling humiliated and heartbroken. She didn’t want to tell me, but I could see in her wet eyes that she was very upset. When I asked her what happened, she hesitated, not wanting to worry me.
But after some coaxing, she finally told me everything. I was livid. No one treats my grandma like that and gets away with it. So, I hatched a plan.
I did a bit of digging and found the shop owner on social media. I sent her this message:
“Hi, I’m Leighton and I’m writing to complain about one of your employees who was incredibly rude to my grandmother when she came to shop for a dress. She made very personal and demeaning comments that truly upset her. I think you should take action against the assistant, but before you do, I’d suggest you observe her behavior yourself to understand what my grandma experienced.”
A few days later, the shop owner, Danielle, contacted me back. She was appalled and thanked me for bringing this to her attention. She told me she had a plan to give the shop assistant a taste of her own medicine.
Danielle asked her own grandmother to visit the shop, wearing her shabbiest clothes and pretending to be a customer. She even told her grandma to stay on a call with her, so she could listen to everything, while staying discreet, of course.
As expected, the same shop assistant, whom I learned was called Nicole, didn’t disappoint. She treated Danielle’s grandma with the same rudeness and disdain she had shown my Gran. “Oh, dear, these dresses are far too fashionable for you. Maybe you should try a store for older women,” she sneered.
As the grandma continued to browse more dresses, Nicole couldn’t keep her disdain inside and added, “We don’t carry sizes that large. Perhaps you should consider losing some weight.”
Just as Nicole was about to shoo her out, Danielle walked in. Her face turned white as Danielle exclaimed, “Oh, Grams! Hi! Have you already chosen something for yourself?”
Nicole looked like she wanted the ground to swallow her whole. Grams smiled sweetly and said, “I’m afraid your assistant here doesn’t think I’m stylish enough for your dresses.”
Danielle was furious. She turned to Nicole with a cold, hard look. “Is that so? We need to talk in my office. Now.”
I later found out that Nicole was fired on the spot. After taking Nicole into her office and giving her a piece of her mind, Danielle let her go immediately.
Apologies were in order as Danielle said sorry to her Grams before calling to profusely apologize to my Gran as well. She even offered a discount to my Gran for all the trouble she went through.
Meanwhile, Gran and I ended up finding her a beautiful dress at a different store. This time, we went to a boutique recommended by one of my friends, and I was hopeful it would be a better experience. As soon as we walked in, the staff greeted us warmly.
“Welcome! How can we help you today?” a cheerful assistant asked.
Gran smiled. “I’m looking for a dress for my granddaughter’s wedding.”
The assistant’s eyes lit up. “That’s wonderful! We’d be delighted to help you find something perfect. Please, follow me.”
The atmosphere in this store was entirely different. The staff were kind and attentive, showing Gran various dresses and making sure she felt comfortable. They even brought her tea while she tried on dresses, making the whole experience feel special.
After trying on a few options, Gran found a gorgeous emerald green dress that made her eyes sparkle. “What do you think, Leighton?” she asked, stepping out of the fitting room.
I couldn’t help but grin. “Gran, you look stunning. That dress is perfect for you.”
The assistant nodded in agreement. “You look beautiful, Ma’am. It’s like the dress was made for you.”
Gran’s eyes misted over with happiness. “Thank you. This is exactly what I was hoping for.”
We made the purchase, and the assistant even gave us a small discount, saying it was a pleasure to help such a lovely lady. Gran was overjoyed, and it warmed my heart to see her so happy after what she’d been through.
On my wedding day, Gran looked amazing in her new dress. She was glowing with pride and happiness, and I made sure to tell everyone the story of how we found her dress.
During the reception, I took a moment to toast my Gran. “Everyone, I want to take a moment to recognize someone very special. My Gran went through a lot to find the perfect dress for today, and she looks absolutely beautiful. Here’s to standing up for the ones we love and teaching a lesson to those who need it.”
The guests applauded, and Gran blushed with happiness. It was a perfect day, made even more special by the journey we’d taken together to get there.
So that’s my story, readers. Sometimes, you have to stand up for the people you love, and sometimes, you have to teach a lesson to those who think they can get away with being cruel.
Thanks for reading, and remember, kindness always wins in the end.