The Things Some People Say (OT)

Ever notice some of the things a perfect stranger will start talking to you
about when you're in a store or other public place?

A few years ago I was in a convenience store on Christmas Eve afternoon; 1
clerk, a line of people. The man in front of me started talking about how
he hadn't been to Mphs for several years and how it had grown! Okay, yeah,
that's not strange. But then he looked at me and said, "You're all dressed
up. You must be a secretary." Take my word for it, I respect
secretaries... it was my first office job and it's hard work. But for him
to assume, because I had on a nice work suit, that I was one was a bit
infuriating. I replied politely no, I do software tech support. He said,
"Oh, you're one of those *smart* women." What an idiot!

The other night I went to the liquor store to buy some spiced rum. When I
got up to the counter to pay there was a female customer. She had the clerk
rooting around in a mini-fridge for "something cold" and he was naming off
what they had; some kind of fruity concoctions, I gathered. The woman
turned to me and said, "Like my new coat? It's MINK! My man was supposed
to get me a mink but he haddta spend the $500 to bail out for assault so I
bought it for myself." Uh, it's very nice. (Did I need to know all that?)

If you'd care to take a guess at *that* woman's profession... I can tell you
she's not a secretary! LOL The leather and "mink" (rabbit) jacket, unzipped
to her navel under which she had on a bustier; jeans way too tight,
teetering on what had to be 5" high heeled boots... ahem. Ho Ho HO! LOL

Jill

jmcquown wrote:

But then he looked at me and said, "You're all dressed up. You
must be a secretary." ... I replied politely no, I do software
tech support. He said, "Oh, you're one of those *smart* women."

"Yes, I am. And you must be one of those *stupid* men!"

The woman turned to me and said, "Like my new coat? It's MINK!
My man was supposed to get me a mink but he haddta spend the $500
to bail out for assault so I bought it for myself." Uh, it's very
nice. (Did I need to know all that?)

If you'd care to take a guess at *that* woman's profession...

Hey, now aren't you doing to her what that ignorant man did to you?
ie, making assumptions based on clothes?

And why look down on "that" profession any more than secretarial work?

Just a thought...

Joyce

wrote:
jmcquown wrote:

But then he looked at me and said, "You're all dressed up. You
must be a secretary." ... I replied politely no, I do software
tech support. He said, "Oh, you're one of those *smart* women."

"Yes, I am. And you must be one of those *stupid* men!"

The woman turned to me and said, "Like my new coat? It's MINK!
My man was supposed to get me a mink but he haddta spend the $500
to bail out for assault so I bought it for myself." Uh, it's very
nice. (Did I need to know all that?)

If you'd care to take a guess at *that* woman's profession...

Hey, now aren't you doing to her what that ignorant man did to you?
ie, making assumptions based on clothes?

And why look down on "that" profession any more than secretarial work?

Just a thought...

Joyce

True enough! Although I must say, she sounded a lot like Julia Roberts in
"Pretty Woman" and she wasn't exactly a spring chicken. I'm 44; she was
probably very close to my age (or at least appeared to be); I would never
consider dressing like that, nor telling a perfect stranger my "man" had to
bail himself out for assault. But you are right, I'm probably making a
foolish assumption.

But please remind me, if I ever decide to become a hooker, at least let me
be one who dresses better

Jill

On 2004-12-22, penned:
jmcquown wrote:

The woman turned to me and said, "Like my new coat? It's MINK! My man was
supposed to get me a mink but he haddta spend the $500 to bail out for
assault so I bought it for myself." Uh, it's very nice. (Did I need to
know all that?)

If you'd care to take a guess at *that* woman's profession...

Hey, now aren't you doing to her what that ignorant man did to you? ie,
making assumptions based on clothes?

And why look down on "that" profession any more than secretarial work?

Just a thought...

Took the words right out of my keyboard. "Judge not, lest ye be judged
yourself," "walk a mile in another woman's high heeled boots," etc.

It's hard to avoid making mental judgements sometimes; I know I have to force
myself to keep an open mind with some people. But I've definitely had some
positive experiences when I manage to look past the outside.

--
monique, who is sometimes allowed to pet Oscar, a grey^H^H^H^Hblue-cream DLH
with an attitude!

Cheryl Perkins wrote:
jmcquown wrote:
Ever notice some of the things a perfect stranger will start talking
to you about when you're in a store or other public place?

snip

Oh, yes, and generally I like it. I don't run into it so much now as
when
I did more bus travel, but I used to get a lot of very personal
chitchat.
(snippage)
But if one more person asks me if I'm ready for Christmas, or
comments on how warm it is for the time of year, I'm going to scream.
That's just boring!

Tee hee! It's not warm here. I just did the old "run to the store" as the
temps have dropped here from 34F to 29F since I woke up and it's starting to
sleet rather than rain. I bought toilet paper and rock salt to thaw the
walk when it ices, which it will. I also covered the windshield of my car
with a large plastic garbage bag; makes it much easier to clean off in the
event I *have* to get out when the roads are icy. I don't anticipate
needing to drive anywhere but you never know. And I'm not willing to let
the car run and waste gas/petrol while scraping little bits of ice off while
the defroster attempts to do its work.

And no, I'm not ready for Christmas; I'm not *doing* Christmas, but I don't
tell the strangers that. I just smile and nod.

Jill

On 2004-12-22, Cheryl Perkins penned:
jmcquown wrote:
Ever notice some of the things a perfect stranger will start talking to you
about when you're in a store or other public place?

snip

Oh, yes, and generally I like it. I don't run into it so much now as when I
did more bus travel, but I used to get a lot of very personal chitchat. It
was often medical in nature, all about how they'd been to Montreal for this
rare brain surgery which worked well, or how they're going in to
city to see Dr. X for a checkup; he's a real genius in treating Y, etc,
etc.

A random conversation on the plane once netted me a ride home from an exec in
a major technology company. That was kind of cool (and if the person had been
male, I probably would have politely declined; open mind is one thing, danger
will robinson is another. Not that women couldn't have nasty motives, too).

But if one more person asks me if I'm ready for Christmas, or comments on
how warm it is for the time of year, I'm going to scream. That's just
boring!

Don't worry, I won't say that. Tomorrow's high is supposed to be ... 7.
Seven degrees Fahrenheit. That's about -14 for those of you in Celsius-land.

I do have to give major thanks for having a wonderful husband who
volunteers to shovel the driveway without even mentioning that I haven't
done so yet, this year.

--
monique, who is sometimes allowed to pet Oscar, a grey^H^H^H^Hblue-cream DLH
with an attitude!

On 2004-12-22, jmcquown penned:

I bought toilet paper and rock salt to thaw the walk when it ices,
which it will.

You um, thaw your walk with toilet paper? Did I misread that?

--
monique, who is sometimes allowed to pet Oscar, a grey^H^H^H^Hblue-cream DLH
with an attitude!

On Wed, 22 Dec 2004 12:25:55 -0600, "jmcquown"
yodeled:

Cheryl Perkins wrote:
jmcquown wrote:
Ever notice some of the things a perfect stranger will start talking
to you about when you're in a store or other public place?

snip

Oh, yes, and generally I like it. I don't run into it so much now as
when
I did more bus travel, but I used to get a lot of very personal
chitchat.
(snippage)
But if one more person asks me if I'm ready for Christmas, or
comments on how warm it is for the time of year, I'm going to scream.
That's just boring!

Tee hee! It's not warm here. I just did the old "run to the store" as the
temps have dropped here from 34F to 29F since I woke up and it's starting to
sleet rather than rain. I bought toilet paper and rock salt to thaw the
walk when it ices, which it will. I also covered the windshield of my car
with a large plastic garbage bag; makes it much easier to clean off in the
event I *have* to get out when the roads are icy. I don't anticipate
needing to drive anywhere but you never know. And I'm not willing to let
the car run and waste gas/petrol while scraping little bits of ice off while
the defroster attempts to do its work.

And no, I'm not ready for Christmas; I'm not *doing* Christmas, but I don't
tell the strangers that. I just smile and nod.

When New Yorkers visit the rest of the US, one of the most jarring
things for us is how easily strangers talk to each other.
Here, I think it's just a survival mechanism -- we are smushed up
against each other so much that people are very careful not to even
make eye contact. Often a New Yorker's first inner response to
someone they don't know saying "Good morning" is "uh oh, what does
*he* want?"





Theresa
Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh
My Blog: http://www.humanitas.blogspot.com

Monique Y. Mudama wrote:
On 2004-12-22, jmcquown penned:

I bought toilet paper and rock salt to thaw the walk when it ices,
which it will.

You um, thaw your walk with toilet paper? Did I misread that?

I stocked up on toilet paper. The rock salt is for de-icing the walkway!
And sure enough, it's been sleeting for hours now. It's getting treacherous
out there.

Jill

On 2004-12-22, jmcquown penned:
Monique Y. Mudama wrote:
On 2004-12-22, jmcquown penned:

I bought toilet paper and rock salt to thaw the walk when it ices, which
it will.

You um, thaw your walk with toilet paper? Did I misread that?

I stocked up on toilet paper. The rock salt is for de-icing the walkway!
And sure enough, it's been sleeting for hours now. It's getting treacherous
out there.

Drat. I was hoping you had some secret guru technique for thawing walkways.
Our driveway is north-facing, and it can keep snow for over a week longer than
other houses in the neighborhood =/ Sure, we shovel it, and then we have a
four-foot pile of snow for a month.

Fortunately, sleet is really rare around here. I don't miss Virginia winters,
with their sleet and hail and ugh!, that's for sure!

--
monique, who is sometimes allowed to pet Oscar, a grey^H^H^H^Hblue-cream DLH
with an attitude!