People are supposed to behave a certain way when they’re in a public space.

Especially when you’re in a restaurant, you don’t want to see or hear anything gross.

Things get tricky when some people simply ignore the rules of common courtesy.

This lady shares how she had to deal with a gross old man at a restaurant, and she’s wondering if she was too rude about it.

Check out the full story.

AITA for telling a guy sitting next to me to stop snorting at a restaurant?

I (45 female) recently was eating dinner with a good friend and former neighbor who moved away 6 months ago.

We had been there for approximately 20-25 minutes.

We were talking and laughing and being pretty quiet for a noisy restaurant since we both do a kind of “silent laugh” – one of the things we have in common.

This is where it gets bad!

We were just served when the man (older guy about 65 maybe) sitting at the table next to us had finished his meal. He was waiting for his check and looking at his cell phone.

When all of the sudden, he started making sucking noises (like my grandparents used to, to clean their teeth) and then he snorted. And it wasn’t just one snort, it was multiple and deep each time.

It literally echoed off the walls.

UH OH!

Now the first time, I let it go and didn’t say anything but had to fight gagging.

I happen to have an extremely sensitive gag reflex. And sounds like that can get me started. Meaning up to starting to vomit.

Not only that if I make my way to the bathroom it is like my brain says “ok let loose” and I always loose it. So I stopped talking, turned my head and did breathing exercises to try to not go down that rabbit hole.

I just got “cleared” and we were chatting and eating again when he did it again. 🤢

So again the same process. But this time I gave him a “look”.

That sounds so bad!

Because I am not his mom and he is old enough to know manners (whether he knows them or not… well obviously not). He clearly didn’t care or didn’t understand why I gave him an angry grin. 😠

Not too long after that he did it again!

And if it happened a 4th time I would not make it to the bathroom. And not only that he was ruining my meal.

So after getting myself through plugging my ears and humming I asked him to please stop snorting.

That’s INSANE!

He looked at me and said, “mind your own business little lady. I am enjoying my meal like everyone else here.”

I replied with, “well if you do it again I will puke and make sure I do it on you.”

He looked really angry and I instantly felt like a teenager being a brat for that reply. I almost said sorry when he got his check.

He signed it and left.

I had to take breaks because I had waves of feeling like I was going to start gagging. I did make it through but almost lost it when I got outside on the walk to my car.

She feels bad about what she said.

I was raised to be polite despite the situation and I normally am but I almost ruined dinner for everyone had I not been able to calm that reflex.

That “little lady” comment had me seeing red!

Needless to say, not my most mature moment.

AITA for chastising him? Or should I have tried to make it to the bathroom knowing I wouldn’t have made it?

YIKES! That sounds like a gross encounter!

Maybe she should’ve brought up the situation to the waiter or waitress to see if they could switch tables.

Let’s find out what folks on Reddit think about this story.

This user thinks she is completely right for speaking up!

That’s right! This user knows people need to behave!

Exactly! This user supports this lady all the way!

This user also thinks this is really gross and that the old man could have excused himself.

That’s right! This user knows the old man could have just gone to the restroom instead.

He’s lucky she didn’t throw up.

If you liked this post, you might want to read this story about a teacher who taught the school’s administration a lesson after they made a sick kid take a final exam.