Agreed...I think they are just lonely.

quote:

Originally posted by sigcrazy7:
It sounds like old people who have been cooped up in quarantine and now want to socialize... with anybody.

What I have witnessed as the people in my life get older is that they tend to not notice or perhaps even care about inconveniencing others. My wife and I have a pact that we won’t let the other one get to this point. If we both do at the same time however, let me apologize to you all in advance. Lol

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:

quote:

Originally posted by pedropcola:
Old people do the same thing in stores. Huge line and they take being friendly to the retarded level. There’s a line behind you. You want to talk? That’s what 900 numbers are for.

Not agism just an observation. Maybe I’m not too far from this myself if it’s catchy.

That's inconvenient, but more forgivable in my book. There are a lot of old folks out there who are socially isolated. Live alone, few/no friends left, no kids or the kids only come to visit once every year or two, etc. As a result, that trip to the grocery store is often the only social interaction they get that week, and they may just be desperately trying to make a connection, no matter how small.

So I always try to be patient and indulge them, when I can. As you said, you or I may end up in the same boat someday.

too many years in the grocery biz,,,,


the avg customer will shop and browse for minutes or hours with out a care in the world for what time it is, or what time is,
until they get to the check out line, then suddenly time is of the essense, gotta go now,

and,

the Cashier is usually the last contact the customer has in the store, and one of the most important,

so a polite friendly efficient cashier is very important,

add the little old lady that only pays with a check that she refuses to start writing until the order is done, and takes 10 minutes to fill it out while chatting up the cashier who is maybe the last outsider (as in outside her home) she will speak to today,

and the those behind her get pissed


I've had customers cuss me out because the Cashier induldged Granny and did not get her out the way fast enough, and do it while Granny was with in ear shot,

My first impulse is to stay out of the way.
In the past few days, I saw a meme or something that suggested,
if you want somebody to stop talking to you, take off one of your dirty socks and hand it to them.

He he he. I just bought some Darn Tough socks yesterday. Too expensive to just be giving them away. Lol

quote:

That's inconvenient, but more forgivable in my book. There are a lot of old folks out there who are socially isolated. Live alone, few/no friends left, no kids or the kids only come to visit once every year or two, etc. As a result, that trip to the grocery store is often the only social interaction they get that week, and they may just be desperately trying to make a connection, no matter how small.

So I always try to be patient and indulge them, when I can. As you said, you or I may end up in the same boat someday.

yep it's a good policy, you never know when you'll be on the other side of that table..

I'll check on workers from time to time, see if they want a cold bottle of water.

I'm 82, which I consider "old". When I see someone working, I wave and yell "Hi" from a distance and run away. Work and I don't get along well.

I do fall into the category of living alone, no nearby kinfolk, normal contacts shut down by COVID, etc. I have cats to talk to, a TV to yell at, and a Handyman who comes a couple of times a week to do minor things around the house (he likes to talk).

flashguy

The number of people who would stop behind my cruiser, or pull up beside it while I was on a traffic stop, wanting directions, was considerable. Quite distracting. Stupid too.

Next time just wave them over and tell them to come on over. If they start walking towards you turn off your machine. More than likely they'll just drive away.

My first few years of college I worked at gas station in NJ, where it's "full serve". I would work the 4 - midnight shift and it was slow from around 10 - midnight so I would study. We didn't have a store, just a room in the front of the building with a lot of glass. I would be reading my text book and someone would pull up and "wave me out" to come help them. I'd get up, walk outside while they sat in their car. Invariably they would be asking for directions.

I got tired of that. When a car pulled up and waved at me to come out to them I would wave for them to come inside. Some people got pissed and drove off, some would come in and ask for directions. Didn't bother me, I got paid either way, plus they weren't paying customers.

Well you never know, one could be a future customer, just take a card and flyer with you and offer your services.

Never know, one "how ya doing, is that milorganite yer putting out, sure smells like it" could turn into a job...

Work on your mean face A good scowl can prevent these endless interruptions...you look too approachable.

quote:

Originally posted by bdylan:
Work on your mean face A good scowl can prevent these endless interruptions...you look too approachable.

I'm freaking adorable, Bob. It's my burden.

The first thing I think is that he's a poor SOB because he's still working. But then I like retirement.

quote:

Originally posted by cas:
When I was in my early teens I started doing lots of line changes (hand digging to replace the main line from the house to the cesspool/septic tank). The customers would often make pests of themselves (maybe because I was so young), coming out to check on the status and to ask questions. I learned early on how to deal with it. Any time they'd try to talk to me, I'd set the shovel down and have a seat on the edge of the trench and talk to them. After a few times, when they realized that every time they came out, I'd stop working, they'd stop coming out.

I've applied that strategy to many jobs over the years. I can work and I can talk, but won't do both at the same time. Which would you rather I do?

That works for the person hiring you if you charge by the hour but if you charge by the job your screwed. For a neighbor with no dollar in the game your really screwed.

Open carry while doing yard work tends to discourage those sorts of interactions.

quote:

Originally posted by Ozarkwoods:

That works for the person hiring you if you charge by the hour but if you charge by the job your screwed.

People with nowhere to poop in catch on quick.

The only time I've ever been irresistable to women is when I'm cutting the grass and wearing my hearing protection. The Mrs and the neighbor ladies MUST TALK TO ME RIGHT NOW! Freaks me out to have someone tap me on the shoulder when pushin a mower.

Once I was deep into my work. at the time I worked on an electronics bench. Lots of cables and probes, scopes and analyzers.

Then my boss stops by my bench. I tell him I'm busy and I'd need to talk to him later if he wants me to complete the task at hand in time. (We had that kind of relationship where I could tell him to get lost, and he was okay with it).

He then tells me, "A gas line broke in the storage area down the hall and we are evacuating the building"

so not all interruptions are bad I guess.

I work in a shop with 7 other guys.
When I'm working and one of them comes up I listen to their question, and if need be I go look at what they have going on and advise them and walk away. If they ask for advice, I give it to them and then turn and go back to what I'm doing. I'm the old man and they know I'd rather be working than B.S.ing or whatever. I've got too much stuff to do !