Have you ever had a stranger hit on or harass you in a public space?
If so, you've probably wished someone, anyone, would take notice and help bail you out of that uncomfortable situation.
A TikTok user recently shared her story of getting harassed at a Starbucks location.
This may be true, but many customers just want to get in and get out with minimal interaction.
One thing pretty much every customer can agree on, though, is that no one wants to be harassed by a stranger.
She was in a Starbucks minding her own business, but a random male customer just wouldn't leave her alone.
In the video, she explains how awkward and nervous she felt, and how she just wanted the situation to end.
A female barista noticed what was going on and filled up @greenybeany420's water. It was a subtle move, because the barista wasn't overtly intervening. Instead, they found a low-key way to support a customer who was overwhelmed.
The video's racked up more than 400 thousand likes so far, and many of the comments share advice like this.
Water does more than just hydrate. It can also soak people who are harassing you.
With hindsight, it's always easy for strangers to tell you that you just needed to be more assertive.
But not everybody operates the same way. Furthermore, this takes responsibility away from the harasser and puts it on the person who's being harassed.
In principle, there's nothing wrong with striking up a friendly conversation with a stranger in a public place. But we should all endeavor to read social cues, and back off if that stranger is clearly feeling uncomfortable.
It's always nice when two people who were involved in the same incident are able to reconnect again, all thanks to the magic of TikTok.
The calm, cool way this barista handled the situation serves as an inspiration to baristas and bartenders everywhere.
Many of us have worked in customer service roles. If you have, let us know how you would have handled this situation with one of your customers.
Check out the full video below and be sure to share your thoughts in the comments section!
