So I’m leaving work this morn. A group of four 20-somethings are ahead of me. They’re horsing around with each other. There are two on the outside of the door; holding the door shut so that the two on the inside of the door can’t leave work.
All the younglings involved are laughing and having a good ol’ time.
Then along comes me. A 49yo balding fatso. As I approach, the two on the outside (the two on the inside haven’t noticed me because they have their backs to me) eyes got wide as saucers: “Dude chill!” as they look right at me.
The two on the inside now notice me, and suddenly, the laughter is gone and the silence is deafening! The defeated younglings hang their heads in shame as they make their way to the parking lot.
Walmart, three days ago: A toddler was attempting to stand up in the shopping cart baby seat. I put out my hand, blocking completion. He was shocked, then dismayed. Looked like the mother was, too. Sensing a possible situation developing, I retreated and high-tailed it.
Working with many twenty-somethings every day, I get to be The Harsher of Mellows on a daily basis. One in particular is always trying to come off as . . .edgy? cynical? . . I don’t know, but he’s always expressing ridiculous thoughts like
" Party City really only does business during Halloween. I mean, I can’t image what reason anyone would have to go there during the rest of the year" :smack: Which I then explained, old lady style, that there are lots of occasions people celebrate / decorate for.
I can’t imagine that Christmas in Australia is very fun. It’s all sunny and not very Christmas like. :smack::smack: So I had to point out that he is born in raised in West Central Florida and asked how does *he *manage the lack of winter wonderland.
He’ll usually say something snarky like “well,WOOK certainly torpedoed my theory” and I know he’s thinking “mind your business, fogey”.
After Mr VOW and I retired from the State of Confusion, we had a series of eff-ups and unforseen crap. We ended up living with our children (one of whom was a brand new son-in-law) in their home, where the kids paid all the bills.
It was a whole lotta bad going on for us, but the spark of joy was our kids stepping up.
~VOW
You know, it’s actually Halloween that’s REALLY buggered about by being in the wrong season. You try looking spooky and mysterious at 8pm trick or treating when it’s still full daylight and a cheery 20C.
Not sure if this fits into the thread or not. On the subway train this week, the usual detente of riders quietly using their personal technology to avoid interaction was broken by a man – younger than me but apparently in his 30s – pointing at me and laughing and loudly proclaiming to his associates “That man has glasses and still has to squint at his phone!” Much grade-school hilarity was had at my expense for foolishly choosing to be myopic.
Is mid-30s “young?” Is taunting someone’s disability “joy?”
Your name was Mr.Richardson… He was also the teacher I probably would most likely be if I was a teacher instead of a tech, though.