Patience or Push Over?

Have you ever had an experience when someone did something that was blatantly rude or uncalled for, but you were so caught off guard that you just kind of stood there dumbfounded? That happened to me today.

I stood there wanting to say something, almost saying something, but all well knowing that if I did say something, I would likely yell it, scream it, wail it rather than say it...so I stayed quiet, but I couldn't think of anything to say that wouldn't have been mean. I really couldn't think period after that. But I know that part of the problem is that no one says anything, so the behavior of this individual persists. Ugh...I hate circumstances like this. I always think, I will be ready for the next one, but these instances always catch me off guard. I hate it.

Then of course later, all my great comebacks came to me. Anyway, I always wonder afterward whether I was actually being patient or just a push over. I wonder if it would have been better to say something in the moment no matter the tone, because I will never muster up the gumption to go address this issue later. That is the push over part. I can't decide what I am, and I can't decide which is better. What do you think?