Just Ask Georgia: Week of 7/8/2026

Georgia, I have a question.

I’m a tall man (6’4”) and sick of people asking to “borrow” my height. So...I finally said NO! Am I wrong here?

A short woman asked me to grab something for her from the top shelf, but I said: “No, thanks.” I was doing my grocery shopping at Walmart, and some of the shelves there are pretty high. Reaching the top is obviously not an issue for me, although apparently that means I am expected to help whenever somebody shorter notices me nearby.

A woman who was maybe 5’2” got my attention and asked whether I could grab something from the top shelf for her. She asked politely, but when I looked at it, it really did not seem completely impossible for her to get herself. She could have stood on her tippy toes, jumped a couple of times, or used something long to knock it forward. I could have reached it easily, but I did not feel like stopping what I was doing, so I said, “No, thanks.”

She looked surprised and said okay, then stared at the item and looked around the aisle. Another guy nearby had heard us and was looking at me like I had said something insane.

He walked over, grabbed it, and handed it to her. She thanked him, put it in her cart, and continued shopping. Then he turned toward me and said, “Dude, don’t be a jerk. She obviously couldn’t reach it.”

I told him it was not my problem because I did not work there. He said helping her would have taken two seconds and that it costs nothing to be nice.

That annoyed me because it is always easy to volunteer somebody else’s time. Yes, I could have grabbed it without even stretching, but why does that automatically make it my responsibility?

I told him a small step ladder costs around $20, and maybe she should invest in one instead of bothering people who do not work there.

I’m just tired of being treated like a public step ladder just because I am tall. Short people see me near a high shelf and immediately assume I should stop shopping and reach whatever they want. Nobody asks me whether I am busy. They just point at the item because they know I can get it.

I understand that she was polite, but a polite request is still something you can refuse. Otherwise, she was not really asking me, was she?

People keep saying it would have taken me less time to help than it took to explain why I would not. That is probably true, but I still think the principle matters. Something being easy for me does not mean strangers are entitled to it.

Was I really wrong?

ANGRY GIANT

Dear ANGRY,

On behalf of vertically challenged women everywhere, thanks for the reminder that people like you exist. Also on behalf of the stubborn vertically challenged women everywhere (who may also, unfortunately, like me, have little R-Rex arms) I don’t ask for help because of people like you and will always figure out how to get things from the top shelves myself.

Could you imagine taking a step stool into a store every time you go in - who says something like that? And OUT LOUD?? It’s embarrassing enough to concede and ask for help - but to make a rude suggestion like that? Wow.

On behalf of shorties everywhere, I hope you need something on the bottom shelf and throw your back out trying to reach it.

With love, GEORGIA