u/Werliest

I am 30 years old. Most take me for 20-23 max, but I still get mistaken for a teen sometimes. Ever since being a teen myself, I feel unsure in the presence of teens. They are mean, not all of course, but some are trying to impress each other by being mean to others.

Many seem to think I'm their peer and thus an easy target. I don't even know those kids!

Today, a girl with her friend walked past me, made a loud noise from the throat really close to my ear. I don't react, but she and her friend turned around, smiling and asked "Did I scare you?". I give her a death stare and don't say anything. They walk off.

Why do I think this has to do with my appearance? My language has a formal and an informal way to address each other. Kids call each other the informal way. The girl used the informal one. Also, she probably wouldn't have dared to do this to someone she thought was an adult.

Another time young teen boys surrounded me, hindering me from walking away. One was a particular little shit and I said something along the lines of "Big mouth for someone just discovering the first hair on their sack." His buddies laughed at him and I used the distraction to scurry off.

I have more examples, from just nasty comments about my style to straight up asking me for sexual acts.

Never heard of another person getting treated by teens this way. Is this happening to anyone else or am I just a magnet for bullies?

Not a dramatic or exciting story. I'm just confused.

My favourite charity shop has a system where unsold items are discounted after a certain amount of time and then, if they still don't sell, are put outside for free.

I'd just looked at a free vase, taken a photo to ask someone if they'd like it, and put my phone away to rummage through the basket of free books. I'd only been standing there for a couple of seconds when an elderly lady asked me, "Are you selling these books?"

There I was, not wearing a name tag and having arrived literally seconds earlier, too stunned to answer politely. The lady was staring at me through her sunglasses while I stood there with a book in my hands. I finally replied, "I'm not selling anything. I'm just looking."

She didn't say anything. She simply turned around as quickly as her crutches would allow and walked away without even going into the shop.

I worry that I was too blunt. My tone wasn't rude, but I feel like I could have been gentler when breaking the news. Maybe then she wouldn't have fled the scene.

I didn't find a book I liked, but I did take the vase home with me. Unfortunately, I accidentally broke it a little while later, which made me sad. It was a lovely jug-shaped vase from the '70s or '80s.