Hair to dye for

There we were in Carmarthen on Saturday having the thoroughly delightful experience of visiting Christine Stovell of Home Thoughts Weekly who was in Waterstones for her first book signing.

Carmarthen has had a bit of a facelift recently with a shiny new Debenhams, new cinema and a plethora of new shops. It's also been given the best multi-storey car park in the world. This one has huge wide ramps, spacious alley ways and it's one of those pay after you park things so you don't have to estimate how long you're going to be and then find the right change.

It being the first Saturday in the month we had lots of Things to Buy. Like new work clothes for Brian and a much sought-after denim waistcoat for H8. R6 is in love with anything with a cheetah print on it and I meanwhile am banned from buying anything except essentials since purchasing FF Superboots last month.

In Boots I bought some hair dye, a temporary sort just to hide a few greys and was idly standing in the queue with it and my sister's birthday presents in my basket when a hand appeared from behind me and pointed at my hair dye.

"Would you buy that stuff?" asked Unseen Woman's voice loudly from behind me.

"Oh no," said Unseen Woman's Companion peering into my basket. "I wouldn't dare." Pause for effect and to form a sneer. "I'd rather pay to have it done professionally... if I had to have it done."

UW and her companion then proceeded to bitch about home hair dye and how awful it is. It was a long queue and they had lots to say on the subject.

a) Charming.

and b) How rude.

It raised the following points:

1. Is it really the done thing to talk about the contents of another shopper's basket in a loud voice in public? I suggest not. Of course one looks, it's a national sport, but one does it surreptitiously. Then one sniggers about it later.
2. If you are going to criticise someone's choice of hair care one should make sure that one's own hair and that of your companion does not resemble dry straw. (Or in other words, madam, if you paid for that 'do' you were 'done'.)
3. There is absolutely nothing wrong with colouring one's hair at home or otherwise and one shouldn't pretend to the rest of the world in a loud voice that you don't 'have' to dye your hair when it is quite obvious that you do.
4. All UW got from me was a brief Paddington stare because I am mild mannered and polite. Others might have told her where to stick her opinions.
5. It's UW's own fault that she turned up beside me outside the store after we'd all paid and I was slagging her and her companion off to my husband.

Just out of interest what should one do in such situations?

Should one:

i) Rise above or
ii) Tell UW and her companion to bugger off out of one's shopping basket?

Answers, not on a postcard, but in the comments please.