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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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! |
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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! |
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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 |
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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 |
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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! |
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