Sometimes we want to help someone, but they don’t help themselves.

In this case, a young man was shopping when an elderly lady grabbed him by the arm, thinking he worked there.

He was sick and didn’t want her to get it.

Let’s read the whole story.

To whoever’s grandma this was, tell her I’m sorry for yelling at her.

So I’m 20M and I have strep throat. My whole house has it and I’d just gone to urgent care to ask for antibiotics.

They sent it to the pharmacy down the road.

I pull into this pharmacy, wearing flannel pants and a sweatshirt with the hood pulled up, and a mask on, when this very elderly woman grabs my arm.

He was worried.

Here’s how the situation went.

Me: please don’t touch me.

Meemaw: could you help me open this case?

(She points at a locked case behind me.)

Me: no, sorry. I don’t work here. Please don’t touch me.

Meemaw: no I’m sure you do. Just unlock the case for me, I need that saline spray.

But she didn’t let go.

(At this point I notice that she seems very confused, and I’m definitely not helping. But now her nails are digging into my arm, and I have a horrible fever. )

Me: please don’t touch me. I’m very sick, I’m here for my medicine.

Her: just open the case.

He was getting worried and didn’t know what to do.

Me, a little louder than I’d intended: Maam. Get your hands off of me. I don’t know you and I’m very sick.

At this point someone who actually works there comes running, and manages to both pry her hands off of me, and actually open the case.

I just got my antibiotics and hightailed it out of there.

I have a bunch of questions about what happened, none of which were answered.

I don’t know if she had someone with her, and given how confused she seemed she definitely needed someone, I doubt she could drive herself.

I’ve been thinking about this all day, and I really wonder if that woman’s alright.

He was just trying to protect her, and sometimes that requires being assertive.

Let’s see how Reddit reacted to this story.

Exactly.

Everyone.

It’s worrisome.

Oh my.

She needs care.

He has a good heart and nothing to feel bad about.

If you liked that story, check out this post about an oblivious CEO who tells a web developer to “act his wage”… and it results in 30% of the workforce being laid off.