I think old guy was just curious. I often try and chat with people in line. I try and find something in their food choice compliment. Like, that's a great beer, or those are a delicious fruit. I always get friend replies or a chuckle. It's just the way you approach a stranger. But then I read peoples faces if they obviously don't want to be bothered or in a big rush.

ild rather feel good about interactions with people than know i was less than pleasant

If I don't know who they are, I look at it as an opportunity to exercise my creativity. I make up extravagant lies, and start asking personal questions. YMMV I do amuse m'self. Heh.

nope, you weren't rude at all. "why do you ask?" is a legitimate question, if uttered without malice.

g

He is a lonely old man and was chatty. He probably has few people in his life to talk to. Even when I am in my worst mood, I always talk to old people. They miss company.

It seemed a pretty innocuous question and you didn’t answer rudely unless your tone of voice was sharp. Maybe you were just a bit out of sorts and didn’t feel in the mood to be bothered talking. I tend to talk to people in queues, although don’t ask direct questions, but I find most people will chat if you engage them. Maybe he was just a nosey Parker or he just wanted to talk to someone.

I was having fun chatting in line with the woman in front of me.

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He is a lonely old man and was chatty. He probably has few people in his life to talk to. Even when I am in my worst mood, I always talk to old people. They miss company.

He just wanted to have a conversation. People are lonely. When I was a bank teller, older people would come in to the bank daily, just to get their balance and have a cup of coffee. It does not take much to just be kind to people.

Unless I've made eye contact with someone, including a smile or something similar, I count all conversation as nosey unless someone is introducing themselves for some legitimate reason. I respond with one syllable words. Sometimes one syllable sentences.

I have neighbors with whom I'm on that basis after over a year. I just have nothing to say to them. I keep to myself and I wish they would do the same.

Lets get back to the flippy short skirt. ☺

I would say you were polite enough you're standing in a return line.

It depends on the nature of any given enquiry but in general if someone is just being nosey I tend to give the shortest most unhelpful answers I can. Or I just tell them to mind their own business

It really depends on my mood. Sometimes, I will engage, sometimes I'll just smile and keep on moving. Sometimes, I'll just look at you and you'll be the one to keep moving, because you really want to.

In the most devious way possible. Give them so much info both true and false makes their head swim.

He was trying to chat you up, get a better look at that short skirt.
Those lines suck. I like people but some still strike me weird, then I may come off as rude.

I guess that would depend on the vibes I was getting from the person, and probably my mood at the time.

I think that the term is disinformation... Mostly false info with a little bit of truth. And I never allow them to rattle me.

I use "Why do you ask?" also. But the guy was interested in you because of your short skirt..just chatting you up. Plus, he was at a lower angle, so was likely seeing more of you than you maybe intended.

I just stare, without blinking.

Doesn't sound like you were rude. If the guy was some sort of greeter, it's their job to see what goes in and out of the store. I've done security before, and you look for something out-of-line. But returning pots? We had to check every bag that went in and out. Some tried to sneak by. Other times drivers would try to lie about a BOL. By asking you that question seem a little weird. Maybe this old guy was a widower with no kids and just wanted to talk to someone?

I don't see anything wrong with your response. Nor is it inappropriate that there was annoyance in your voice. His question was impertinent.

Where does the short skirt come into it? Actually it gave me what Daffy Duck once called "pronoun trouble". I wondered at first why you were returning a skirt you were wearing ... and why you were carrying a flower while doing so

Personally I enjoy the opportunity to be as rude as I like. "Your opinion is neither needed or wanted" and "Don't you have a life of your own? Why are you concerned with what everyone else is doing?" Are two of my favs. People who don't know how to leave others alone annoy me to no end.

I would not have found that nosey. I would imagine he was and old guy in a wheelchair, who saw a girl in a short skirt and a flower. Maybe he doesn't have many people to talk to. He sounded pretty harmless to me. It is pretty hard to offend me or make me mad though, so I usually just chat a few minutes then leave. No if someone was intentionally rude, like telling me I'm fat, or whatever, I would say, "Why on earth would you ask me something as rude as that? ". I have no problem calling out rudeness, but I don't try to find a reason to.

I don't think they are being Nosy If you read what you have described you will see that they are Lonely. They are elderly people whom you described and may be undergoing a lot of unseen mental issues that they were looking for release.
My intake on being 'Nosy' is people who go into areas that they have absolutely no business going there. People who know something about your past and start digging into sensitive areas or who try and get others to push your buttons.
Don't hone into what you happened to experience that particular day, but when you are waiting in line just listen to what is being discussed or how people want to make a scene about a price or a product while 6 people are waiting in line.
I hear what you are saying because I go to a Senior Center three times a week to work out on Cardio Exercise Equipment of various types and to get caught in between a conversation that you have absolutely no interest in but cannot get off the machine or scream out STFU which I would not do because some of these people are fighting the same scenarios that bring me there. I have learned to change my times and when necessary or bear it through which is becoming less a scenario that if was at first.