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I'm a clerk at the butcherblock/seafood section of a grocery store. I was doing some deep cleaning in seafood when an older man came up with packaged filet mignon from the self-service wall and didn't even try to speak to me before going for the service bell.

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Knowing that this was my butcher's first night closing in a long time and they were behind, I intervened asking "how may I help you sir?"

He tells me "I'm wanting to talk to the butcher about marking this down."

I reply, confused, "mark down? As in discount?"

He says, "yes, this says it goes out tomorrow, which means it's old and I want I discount."

I take a look at the package and tell him, "I'm sorry sir, this was cut this morning and it will be marked down tomorrow morning and isn't considered old until end-of-day. We only keep our fresh cuts on the shelf for 2 days so that we can ensure quality and freshness after you bring it home, plus anything that doesn't sell goes to food donation services, and we can't be charitably giving away expired products. I can assure you that this is a perfectly fresh cut of beef."

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He then bends down (which is unnecessary since I'm 6', so it's not like he was "getting on my level" or anything like that) and pats my gloved hand (which freakin thanks, I have to re wash my hands and change gloves now) and says "sweetie, I think I should just talk to your butcher." And rings the freakin service bell.

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Then my butcher is greeted with wide, shocked eyes as SHE comes out and tells him the same freakin thing. He ends up putting it back. I think he just knew that "old product" gets 50% off in the mornings, and he wanted to get some filet for freaking cheap. I was so angry by how condescending he was, but he didn't get the discount, so his smug, privileged attitude got him nowhere.

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I don't often experience condescending men because I'm larger than many of them and carry myself with a confidence that scares sexist men off. Plus, though I dress femininely... I've been told I carry a "masculine power" with my stature, low voice, etc. it's rare I experience this, and it just threw off the rest of my night (on top of the fact I was already feeling physically unwell because of my lupus.