A Funny thing Happened to Me...

Tired_Old_Man · September 21, 2006

Well, it wasn't funny, but I was wondering what other people would have done. :help:

I left my wife at the local Nationally known co-ed gym to work out and went to the bank and post office to take care of chores. As I mentioned in another thread, I am having a hard time walking because of knee damage, so I wasn't going to work out. I got back to the gym's parking lot, parked my car and started to go into the gym where I figured I would read my book (Purpose Driven Life) while I waited.

As I got close to the door, a man, about 65 years old, 5'6" or 5'7" and about 150 pounds (maximum, maybe less) was getting on a scooter. I asked him, "How fast is the maximum speed on that?"

He replied, "About 35 for me, but about 30 for you". :faint:

I was shocked but came right back with, "That wasn't very nice". :embarassed:

"You asked me a question, I gave you an honest answer."

I am younger, taller and 100 pounds heavier than him and I felt like saying something, like "It won't go too fast with my foot stuck up your ass", but I remembered that I must try to be a real Christian and emulate Jesus, so I turned the other cheek and walked away shaking my head.

When I told my wife, she was amazed. "How did he know that you weren't going to kick his butt?" she asked.

wavydaby · September 21, 2006

Well, in NC, the only people who ride scooters are people who had their license revoked due to DUI, so the next time you see him, you can always ask him when he gets his license back.

But, as far as what I would do? I would have probably said something evil.

barbara465 · September 21, 2006

People with low self esteem have to use every opportunity to make themselves feel better. Smile sweetly and say, "that's good to know. The slower speed will be safer." Or "you'll need that extra speed to get away from a big, bad ass like me"!

karenj · September 21, 2006

thanks for making me laugh! you can't really say much to your elders! Grouchy old fart!

Tired_Old_Man · September 21, 2006

thanks for making me laugh! you can't really say much to your elders! Grouchy old fart!

Whoa!!

I am only about 4 years short of 65.

I admit, I don't know how old the "gentleman" actually was. My son said later, after I told him the story, that many people down here look much older than they actually are because of the Sun damage that accumulates over the years. Also, most people who guess my age, usually go over by about 5 years. So maybe he was only in his late 50's thinking he was talking to a person in his late 60's.

No excuse for being rude in my book.

karenj · September 21, 2006

I wasn't suggesting that because he was 65 he was old.... i was working on the "grouchy fart" angle....

And you are a better christian than me cause I would have told him he needed to gain some weight!

LOL!

faybie · September 21, 2006

Or "you'll need that extra speed to get away from a big, bad ass like me"!

ha ha! This was my favorite come back... don't know if I could actually "say" it but it was funny to picture.... LOL.

Tired_Old_Man · September 21, 2006

I wasn't suggesting that because he was 65 he was old.... i was working on the "grouchy fart" angle....
And you are a better christian than me cause I would have told him he needed to gain some weight!

LOL!

Please believe me, I am laughing as I write this and I was also laughing as I wrote the last reply including the "Whoa!!" part. But if he is a "grouchy old fart", then what am I? Not grouchy, so I must be a "Cheerful old fart!!" :faint:

:)

karenj · September 22, 2006

Sure sounds like it. I would take the whole thing with a grain of salt. Next time you see him, I too would work the DUI angle. That is too funny!

donali · September 22, 2006

I'm so dense I probably wouldn't have realized he was talking about my weight, particularly if his answer seemed earnest and helpful, and not snide.

I would have thought he meant 35 would only be for someone really pushing the envelop, a real speed demon, and that I obviously wasn't one of those... ROTFLMAO

Tired_Old_Man · September 22, 2006

And you are a better christian than me cause I would have told him he needed to gain some weight!

I doubt that I am a better Christian than you, and I don't and won't judge that issue, but I learned a lot about trying to be a good Christian from the words and deeds of Jesus, Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi and Mike Tyson.

If Mr. Tyson seems out of place on that list, let me explain why I put him there. It is easy after someone cuts you off while driving, or cuts in front of you with their shopping cart or insults you over your weight, to say or do something violent. When I tell stories about confrontations, many people say, "you should have smacked him in the mouth" or something similar. Then I noticed that when a confrontation takes place in which Mr. A does something to anger Mr. B, Mr. B will sometimes attempt to confront Mr. A, but will change his mind if Mr. A is larger, younger, stronger or all of the above. In other words, eventually it is the best fighter and only him who has the right to exercise his rights. So that would be Mike Tyson (or at least when I figured that out, it was Mike Tyson).

So unless I want to be fighting with everyone, I have to avoid fighting with anyone, and since words lead to fights, it is better to follow the examples of Jesus, Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi or we will wind up in a world in which Mike Tyson is president (or king).

Alexandra · September 22, 2006

I'm so dense I probably wouldn't have realized he was talking about my weight, particularly if his answer seemed earnest and helpful, and not snide.
I would have thought he meant 35 would only be for someone really pushing the envelop, a real speed demon, and that I obviously wasn't one of those... ROTFLMAO

I'm with Donali (as usual!) Or I would have thought it was an honest answer, that it is literally only capable of some given speed when it is carrying someone of any given weight. Why is acknowledging that reality considered rude? I remember being told--on my honeymoon, no less--that I needed to rent a Sea-doo built for two. (What's the real name of those things? Personal watercraft?) I was personally unhappy about it but frankly glad that the vendors didn't want me risking my life (or a lawsuit) on one that wouldn't hold me up. I certainly didn't think they were being rude for rudeness' sake!

[derail] HI DONALI!!! GREAT to see you!! :biggrin1: :biggrin1: [/derail]

Tired_Old_Man · September 22, 2006

I'm with Donali (as usual!) Or I would have thought it was an honest answer, that it is literally only capable of some given speed when it is carrying someone of any given weight. Why is acknowledging that reality considered rude? I remember being told--on my honeymoon, no less--that I needed to rent a Sea-doo built for two. (What's the real name of those things? Personal watercraft?) I was personally unhappy about it but frankly glad that the vendors didn't want me risking my life (or a lawsuit) on one that wouldn't hold me up. I certainly didn't think they were being rude for rudeness' sake!
[derail] HI DONALI!!! GREAT to see you!! :biggrin1: :biggrin1: [/derail]

First, it MIGHT have been true about the speed, but the man was not a engineer for the scooter company so he was making a guess that was neither required nor scientifically tested. A more polite answer might have been, "I can make it to 35 mph" and then he could have left it up to me to decide what top speed difference my weight would cause.

Second, the top speed may not have been that severely limited by my weight. The amount of time to accelerate to top speed might have been effected to a large extent, but the top speed might not have been. Weight has a much larger effect on acceleration than top speed.

Third; I have a motorcycle license and have driven many bikes. Maybe, my experience driving "bikes" might have overcome some of the weight penalty.

I notice that he didn't tell me how fast the scooter would go with a 90 pound midget driving it or with his wife driving it.

I wasn't asking because I want to buy one. I was asking to be friendly and to find out if the scooter was safe at the speeds in the local area and also I was curious if they could go on the highway.

Mert · September 23, 2006

You are a gentleman and a scholar and that guy is a rude idiot. So, there you have it. I am, personally, tired of ill-mannered, uncivilized people who cannot even exchange some pleasantries in passing. It is downright uncivilized.