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#21
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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? 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 In your part of the world, your guess is probably close to the truth - in Southern California, however..... (I've seen a lot of perfectly "respectable" teen-aged girls dressed in similar fashion - presumably with their parents' tacit consent!) |
#22
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jmcquown wrote: 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 IIRC, Julia Roberts certainly did, in "Pretty Woman"! (I think the "high class" whores do - it's just the ones who turn tricks in alleys that "dress to advertise".) Jill |
#23
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On 2004-12-23, Christina Websell penned:
He said I should have asked my husband to come with me and do it. I said I might have done if he was still alive. He laughed and walked off. I hope it was because he was embarrassed. That's wrong on so many levels. Ugh. I guess I'd find a different place to buy the stuff, and make a point of informing the guy *why*. -- monique, who is sometimes allowed to pet Oscar, a grey^H^H^H^Hblue-cream DLH with an attitude! |
#24
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Cheryl Perkins wrote: 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. My Mom (who was born with both feet in her mouth) committed a classic faux pas during such a conversation. (And had no idea why everyone's jaw dropped and we all exclaimed "MOTHER!!!!" when she told us about it.) She struck up a conversation on the plane with her seat-mate - a lady with several children, who was traveling without them. Not unnaturally, Mom asked "who's taking care of your children, while you're gone?" To which the woman replied, "They're staying with my mother." Mom, who believed in saying whatever she thought (without thinking) and hadn't a tactful bone in her body, then asked "Don't you think that's an imposition on your mother?" (She couldn't understand why the woman lost all interest in further conversation!) Quite apart from the fact that many grandparents (including my sister-in-law) actually ENJOY having their grandkids to stay.... My Mom hadn't a mean idea in her head, but remarks like that were characteristic - not only with perfect strangers. Like the time my brother and his wife (Minnesota "snowbirds") came to see her after spending their winter in Arizona. The first words out of Mom's mouth, when Charleene walked into her room, were "Goodness, you've gotten fat!" (Charleene HAD put on a pound or two, but since she has NEVER been heavy enough to be described as "fat", Mom couldn't understand why she burst into tears.) |
#25
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jmcquown wrote: 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. Yeah, one can do without fresh food, if one gets snowed in, but toilet tissue..... ;-) |
#26
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CK wrote: Kreisleriana wrote: snip Often a New Yorker's first inner response to someone they don't know saying "Good morning" is "uh oh, what does *he* want?" Which may be why Americans have the reputation for being "rude" in so much of the world! In France, especially, the first thing one says upon walking into a shop is "Bon jour" (and a few pleasantries, like a comment on the weather, if one's French is up to the challenge). I confess I find the ubiquitous "Have a nice day" from clerks in stores in the U.S. a bit tedious (since it's usually uttered in a mechanical tone of voice that implies they wish you the opposite), but perhaps we could do with a bit more GENUINE politeness in our daily commerce, here. |
#27
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On Thu, 23 Dec 2004 15:32:36 -0800, "EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)"
yodeled: (snip) My Mom hadn't a mean idea in her head, but remarks like that were characteristic - not only with perfect strangers. Like the time my brother and his wife (Minnesota "snowbirds") came to see her after spending their winter in Arizona. The first words out of Mom's mouth, when Charleene walked into her room, were "Goodness, you've gotten fat!" (Charleene HAD put on a pound or two, but since she has NEVER been heavy enough to be described as "fat", Mom couldn't understand why she burst into tears.) Had an aunt like that, rest her soul. Her idea of a perfectly acceptable conversational gambit was "So what birth control method are you using, dear?" Theresa Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh My Blog: http://www.humanitas.blogspot.com |
#28
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Christina Websell wrote:
The man brought out a full bottle and asked me to get the empty out of the car... I said I'd recently really hurt my collar bone and it was difficult for me. It cut no ice... He said I should have asked my husband to come with me and do it. I said I might have done if he was still alive. He laughed and walked off. Wow, Christina, that one really does take the cake. He's tact personnified, isn't he? Joyce |
#29
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On Thu, 23 Dec 2004 15:43:59 -0800, "EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)"
yodeled: CK wrote: Kreisleriana wrote: snip Often a New Yorker's first inner response to someone they don't know saying "Good morning" is "uh oh, what does *he* want?" Which may be why Americans have the reputation for being "rude" in so much of the world! It's certainly why New Yorkers are often considered rude in much of the rest of the US. We do have a rather direct way of talking to each other when we do talk. When I was with the former Mr. T, an Australian of English parentage, he would absolutely cringe at how direct I was, when I thought I was being very polite. He would drive me to distraction with how *indirect* he always was, and he thought I was thoroughly obtuse. Typical exchange: Mr. T: Are you hungry? T: mistakenly thinking he is actually asking me if I am hungry No. Mr. T: Since he was actually trying to tell me he is hungry and wants something to eat, stews, frustrated, thinking I am a Neanderthal woman Theresa Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh My Blog: http://www.humanitas.blogspot.com |
#30
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Kreisleriana wrote:
Had an aunt like that, rest her soul. Her idea of a perfectly acceptable conversational gambit was "So what birth control method are you using, dear?" Ooo, I'd have loved to answer THAT one, bwahahaha... Joyce |
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