Stranger than strangers

A recent blog post from one of my favorite bloggers, a knitter and writer of knitting humor, related a strange story. A complete stranger referred to her activity as crochet, and when Stephanie tried to gently correct her, the woman snottily replied that she "knew the difference" when obviously she did not.

I was reminded of the time, just before Michael and I were engaged, when we went into a jewelry store. As I knew would happen, the sight of a young couple without a diamond on the left hand sparked a feeding frenzy that would put "Shark Week" to shame. To get the saleslady (the only one left after she fended off the weaker sharks, I mean, salespeople) to back off a little (and test her knowledge) I told her I really would like a rose cut diamond, knowing full well that no one cuts those anymore. She insisted that they could provide anything my heart desired, even rose cuts ("I've seen those, they are very nice, like the princess cut!") but I knew I could have asked for an ostrich egg and she would have put it in a nice 14K setting. The strange part was when she realized we were drifting, and asked what we did for our livings, and when I said I am a sculptor, she blurted out:

"OOO! Ice?"

I was so flummoxed I think I just stared at her for a minute or two while she babbled about how so many weddings had gorgeous ice sculptures, and how wonderful it all was, before I managed to mutter something about clay being my chosen medium.

I've tolerated comments about my pottery (I make pottery, but I am not, primarily, a potter), about the painted bunnies and other rather confused comments, but the ice comment was about the most randomly perpindicular response I've had to my art career.

So I wanted to ask my readers for any stories of strange people saying odd things that left you unable to respond.