# Outcast Dopers And What Do We Do About It? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 26, 2002, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outcast-dopers-and-what-do-we-do-about-it/120900 "2002-07-26T08:20:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outcast-dopers-and-what-do-we-do-about-it/120900/1 "2002-07-26T08:20:41Z")
Hamsters ate my OP! Inspired by [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=126537) thread and [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=126817) one where **yojimboguy** describes the house of his late uncle Bud, and how his uncle must have been an incredible recluse. A couple of Dopers posted that they were probably going to end up like that. Count me in as a Doper who figures he’s probably going to be one of those guys. Yeah, I know what my future holds, and it sucks. (And no, I don’t know how to change it, and so far everything I’ve tried up to this point has pretty much exploded in my face.) ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outcast-dopers-and-what-do-we-do-about-it/120900/2 "2002-07-26T09:51:10Z")
So the hamsters are extremely hungry tonight, cos I posted a sympathetic-type response here (or it might’a been in the other parallel thread/universe) and it too has been 'et. Dang. ---
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outcast-dopers-and-what-do-we-do-about-it/120900/3 "2002-07-26T14:02:32Z")
> [@](#): > > Count me in as a Doper who figures he’s probably going to be one of those guys. me too. ---
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outcast-dopers-and-what-do-we-do-about-it/120900/4 "2002-07-26T15:11:37Z")
These kind of situations really make me sad. My boyfriend’s father has a house that’s full of pack-rat-ish stuff. When we walked in, I was instantly filled with a sense of misery. I’m so afraid that it’s just a physical manifestation of a serious mental issue. It tugs at my heart, and I wish there was someone he could talk to about it. I’m not saying that’s _your_ situation, because I don’t know you from Adam. But maybe just coming on to a message board like this is helpful - it provides some measure of personal contact. So as long as we know you’re here, when you stop posting maybe we ought to alert the authorities??? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![belladonna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9fc29f/32.png) [@belladonna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/belladonna)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outcast-dopers-and-what-do-we-do-about-it/120900/5 "2002-07-26T15:23:15Z")
Now, **Tuckerfan** and **Neidhart** –are you guys saying you actually think you’re going to end up holed up in a house, refusing to leave unless absolutely necessary, speaking to no one and stockpiling weapons and other assorted crap? Or are you just saying you don’t think you’ll end up married with families? [preachy voice]There’s quite a difference between the two, you know, and the latter doesn’t necessarily lead to the former.[/pv] If you really do think you’re going to end up a total nutcase (which packrat recluses generally are, IME), I’m curious as to what flavor of insanity you plan on exhibiting. Will you wear only white and cover your windows in tinfoil? Will you use a straw to manually vaccuum your carpet? Will you collect tons and tons of books and boxes and use them to play “forts” all day? Inquiring minds want to know. 😛 bella ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outcast-dopers-and-what-do-we-do-about-it/120900/6 "2002-07-26T16:15:46Z")
I’m a packrat, I have to admit. No weapons, at least not yet anyways. (Though I _do_ have all kinds of books on making improvised munitions…) ---
**Author:** ![Batsinma\_Belfry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Batsinma\_Belfry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batsinma_Belfry)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outcast-dopers-and-what-do-we-do-about-it/120900/7 "2002-07-26T17:02:44Z")
I don’t have many relatives left, and don’t get along with the remaining ones. Plus they already think I’m weird. So, I’ll probably be one of those old ladies with a houseful of cats. I don’t have any cats now, but I have a few years to get my collection started. ---
**Author:** ![Skerri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Skerri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skerri)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outcast-dopers-and-what-do-we-do-about-it/120900/8 "2002-07-26T17:44:14Z")
I’m already like that. Well, in a way. I am the packrat from hell. I had to squish everything from my two bedroom apartment into a single bedroom in my current location. Good thing we have 12 ft. ceilings, so I can pack stuff up to the rafters in the closet. And I’m also well on the way to being the old lady with all the cats, as my roomie and I have 5 cats. And, at this point, I would rather sit at home and hang out in my room rather than go out. The only thing that keeps me from turning into a gun-hoarding maniac is the fact that I don’t like guns. (Whew! One redeeming factor.) ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outcast-dopers-and-what-do-we-do-about-it/120900/9 "2002-07-26T17:47:20Z")
:: Looks and notices that both **Tuckerfan** and **hillbilly queen** live in Gallatin, Tennessee :: hmmm, could just be the water. What are we going to do about it? **Tuckerfan** , meet **hillbilly queen** , **hillbilly queen** , meet **Tuckerfan**. You both seem like fairly nice folks from what I’ve seen of your posts. Maybe you two could sort of hang out together and keep each other from being recluses. Two down, how many more to go? ---
**Author:** ![refusal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ac91a4/32.png) [@refusal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/refusal)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outcast-dopers-and-what-do-we-do-about-it/120900/10 "2002-07-26T17:53:33Z")
I’ve been wondering. When I’m an old man, will it be (anti)socially acceptable for me to keep cats, because I like cats. Or would I have to have snakes, because cats are just for the mad old _women_? What is your weird old person’s pet of choice? (Of course by then we might have bioengineering, allowing for my colony of iguana-moths buzzing around the bare lightbulbs.) Yeah, in case you haven’t guessed, that old man will be me too. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outcast-dopers-and-what-do-we-do-about-it/120900/11 "2002-07-26T17:59:20Z")
I am fully planning to become a crazy old recluse, kind of a combination of Miss Havisham and Bette Davis in _Hush . . . Hush. . . Sweet Charlotte_. Can’t you see me, leaning out the attic window, shouting, “ **GITT—OFF—MAH-PROPE’TY! DAMMMNNN YEWWWW!** ” ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outcast-dopers-and-what-do-we-do-about-it/120900/12 "2002-07-26T18:56:12Z")
> [@](#): > > I’ve been wondering. When I’m an old man, will it be (anti)socially acceptable for me to keep cats, because I like cats. Or would I have to have snakes, because cats are just for the mad old women? I like snakes. Maybe I could be a Crazy Cat Lady who happens to be keeping your snakes for you, and you can be a Crazy Snake Man who happens to be keeping my cats for me. Of course that would complicate the recluse bit, but we wouldn’t have to actually meet or anything. Sounds like an appropriately eccentric arrangement. I am looking forward to it. ---
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outcast-dopers-and-what-do-we-do-about-it/120900/13 "2002-07-26T19:29:41Z")
Woah, **Shibb** , that’s kind of weird. How big of a city is Gallatin, anyway? What are the odds??? ---
**Author:** ![MONTY2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/53a042/32.png) [@MONTY2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MONTY2)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outcast-dopers-and-what-do-we-do-about-it/120900/14 "2002-07-26T19:40:56Z")
I’m going to be the Wierd Aunt that nobody wants to visit because she smells like mothballs. I’m not really very pack ratish, but I have trouble trying to find something, other than work, worth leaving my apartment for. I don’t really like being around hordes of strangers, I dont’ really drink so there’s no need for me to go to bars and I can’t stand the night club crowd. Nope, my weekends consist of a good book, the T.V. and my apartment. I have a large family and small group of friends that I see quite regularly. They come to my apartment or I go to their houses. I’m slowly eliminated the need for outside human contact. In fact, ever since I discovered Publix Direct (a grocery store chain that delivers groceries to your door) I have almost completely eliminated most of my “I have to go to the store” outings. If only Walmart had a similar service, then I really would never leave my house. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outcast-dopers-and-what-do-we-do-about-it/120900/15 "2002-07-26T19:49:18Z")
[Gallatin, Tennessee](http://www.ohwy.com/tn/g/gallatin.htm): > [@](#): > > Gallatin is located in Sumner County (of which it is the county seat) northeast of Nashville along US Highway 31E near Old Hickory Lake and Bledsoe Creek State Park. The **population estimate for July 1, 1998 was 21,608** , an increase of 2,814 since 1990. > > Gallatin is part of the Nashville, Tennessee metro area. Gallatin is also home of an intergalactic portal which can only be reached via anonymous late model sedans parked next door to **Tuckerfan** ’s trailer. ---
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outcast-dopers-and-what-do-we-do-about-it/120900/16 "2002-07-26T23:11:31Z")
Thus saith **belladonna:** > [@](#): > > Now, Tuckerfan and Neidhart–are you guys saying you actually think you’re going to end up holed up in a house, refusing to leave unless absolutely necessary, speaking to no one and stockpiling weapons and other assorted crap? Or are you just saying you don’t think you’ll end up married with families? [preachy voice]There’s quite a difference between the two, you know, and the latter doesn’t necessarily lead to the former.[/pv] Well, I don’t plan on going crazy, but I do see myself in thirty years living in a one-room apartment in a bad neighborhood, without friends, with nobody who knows or cares I’m alive. Oh, I plan to skip the part about the weapons too. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Zappo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b3f665/32.png) [@Zappo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zappo)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2002, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outcast-dopers-and-what-do-we-do-about-it/120900/17 "2002-07-27T01:47:05Z")
Oh bullshit, **Neidhart**. You’ll leave when **iampunha** picks you up to go to Dave and Gingy’s for beers. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2002, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outcast-dopers-and-what-do-we-do-about-it/120900/18 "2002-07-27T11:03:53Z")
I could see myself like that, sort of. I don’t deal well with people on a personal basis - which is funny, because I can do customer service with the best of them. But I’m quiet and reserved, and it’s just tough to meet people. I also have the packrat tendencies, though I fight them. The upcoming move is a good thing, because it made me open up and empty out the contents of boxes I hadn’t touches since the move from Nashville to Mississippi (2 moves and almost 3 years ago). But it’s all good. And maybe grad school will help me break out of my “shell” so to speak. Of course, maybe I’ve been in it too long, and I’ll just stay in it. Either way, I don’t dislike my life. Most times I enjoy it. ---
**Author:** ![widdershins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@widdershins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/widdershins)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2002, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outcast-dopers-and-what-do-we-do-about-it/120900/19 "2002-07-27T12:26:03Z")
I worry along these lines a lot, but I’ve recently started trying to work at changing it. Getting out more, periodic purgings of stuff I let pile up (time for another one soon), trying to get back in contact with old friends, etc. When you listen to the last part of 'Pencil-Thin Moustache" by Jimmy Buffett, and say, “That’ll be me some day,” with detached calm rather that trepidation - it’s time to worry. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2002, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outcast-dopers-and-what-do-we-do-about-it/120900/20 "2002-07-27T13:09:08Z")
I’m another one like that. I leave my house to go to work (where I’m usually alone at least 50% of the day), laundromat and grocery. I do stop in the 7-11 on my way to work for coffee. My only friends are cyber. I’m sort of an “invisible” person. If I wasn’t so huge into musical theatre, I’d never do anything. But I have to go to NYC at least every other week to see a show and buy CDS. I have about 500 cast recordings, and I’m always buying more. I hope I have some advance notice of my death, so I can give them to people who will appreciate them. Fortunately, if I die unexpectedly, I live in a town where everyone knows your business. Someone will check when I didn’t show up for work. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outcast-dopers-and-what-do-we-do-about-it/120900.md?page=2)