Overview
You are shrewd to try to negotiate through a potentially tense situation, but you also have to know when it's time to bring out the big guns -- otherwise, you could be seen as a bit of a pushover. There is absolutely no reason to tolerate someone who is rude to you, so do not be shy about sticking up for yourself if you feel that you're being treated poorly. Compromising yourself for a bully is a lose-lose situation.