Quote:
Originally Posted by Katsunami
According to Wikipedia, Generation Y and M (millennials?) are the same. Generation X ran from 1961 to 1982, and Generation Y ran from 1980 to 2001.
I'm at either the super-late tail end of GenX, or one of the first Millennials ever born. Out of those two generations, I'm part of the one you favor the most.
And with regard to old people: I cut them more than enough slack, because I know I will be old one day too. (At least, I hope so, in reasonable health.) Also, I'm not the fastest person in the world because of my poor eyesight; compared to people in my age bracket, I can even be called slow.
So if these elderly people feel slow and in the way to me already, my peers must feel completely stuck, and constantly entertaining thoughts of chainsaws and steamrollers to get unstuck.
The difference between "me slow" and "old people slow" is this, which actually happened today:
I _know_ I am slow, especially when I need to read labels or price tags in unfamiliar stores. Because of that, I try to know what I want beforehand, and I try to go to familiar (grocery) stores, so I can just walk up to the rack, pick what I need (without having to try and read the labels and tags), and be off again. In short, I try to not be in the way.
The old people _don't_ seem to know that they are slow, and stand in front of the rack (where I need to be), reading the labels and price tags on all 18 different sorts of pepper. Should I pick Silvo, or Verstegen or the Plus house brand? Should I pick the one in the shaker, or the one in the grinder? Oh, each of those is available in White, Black, and Four Seasons. Those are 18 choices... Hm...
Then I ask:
"Excuse me, could you please move over a few steps so I can get some pepper?"
I pick the Plus Four Season pepper in the grinder, and said old person is looking at me with a very grumpy expression on his face. I don't even know if the irritation comes from me asking him to step aside, or because I made a choice in seconds instead of needing half a day.
|
The irritated look was at your attitude.
You should not have said "could you move a few steps". To an older person that may have implied he might not be able to move. (Sorry one of my elders was a stickler with the use of the words could and can.) Next time, try would you please move over a bit. (Manners were also expected. ) Of course, you might also cause a heart attack.