If you think that rudeness is only conveyed by comments related to excess weight, then think again! Last week I inspected a newly renovated wing of my Institute, and a worker (whom I never met before in my life, but who apparently knew who I was) started making gestures at his own (incidentally rather conspicuous) belly, and asking me "where the hell the fat has gone". Actually, if anything, this is a somewhat sanitized rendering of the incident - which felt even more embarrassing than can possibly be explained here.

The thing is, I felt incredibly humiliated! I could not believe that perfect strangers would take the liberty of commenting aloud on my body shape - whatever that shape might be. How unbelievably rude. The only good thing was that he spoke to me in my mother tongue, which was (presumably) not well-understood by the bystanders and somewhat mitigated the embarrassment of the situation.

What I have learned is that comments about weight loss can be just as offensive as comments on excessive weight. And that people can just be unbelievably rude and obnoxious in whatever situation of life. Not exactly a Nobel-winning discovery, but nevertheless something I felt like sharing...