only_more_so
Man
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2005
- Posts
- 2,678
Well, he wasn't a kid, but a twenty something Silicon Valley nerd type. I was at a local fast food type restaurant having lunch. I kept overhearing a conversation between the aforementioned kid and what I would guess was his grandmother (looked to be in her 70's or 80's).
Anyway, the way he talked was very condescending. I don't think it was intentional, but he was just clueless about it. He was reading the dietary information from the little pamphlet thing, telling her all about carbs. I figure, if you get to be that old, you must have been doing something right all those years and for some young kid to be lecturing you about carbs is terrible (alright, it wasn't really a lecture, but still).
If that were it, I wouldn't have thought much about it. But the kid confirmed his obliviousness when they were leaving. He did the obvious kind thing and bused the tray so she wouldn't have to. But despite the floor just being mopped (and visibly wet) he just left her behind to bus the tray. She was clearly hesitant walking through the mopped region, to the point where I was about to get up to help her. She caught up to him after he threw the stuff away and informed her which way they had come in. Then he took off again and waited by the door for twenty seconds for her to catch up again.
So he did the obvious things, busing the tray, holding open the door, but ignored the human touches that make those gestures important. He didn't slow his stride to walk with her, he didn't offer his arm through the slick patch on the floor. He told her things instead of asking or listening.
Although, I have to say I was the same way... When I could count my age on two hands.
Anyway, the way he talked was very condescending. I don't think it was intentional, but he was just clueless about it. He was reading the dietary information from the little pamphlet thing, telling her all about carbs. I figure, if you get to be that old, you must have been doing something right all those years and for some young kid to be lecturing you about carbs is terrible (alright, it wasn't really a lecture, but still).
If that were it, I wouldn't have thought much about it. But the kid confirmed his obliviousness when they were leaving. He did the obvious kind thing and bused the tray so she wouldn't have to. But despite the floor just being mopped (and visibly wet) he just left her behind to bus the tray. She was clearly hesitant walking through the mopped region, to the point where I was about to get up to help her. She caught up to him after he threw the stuff away and informed her which way they had come in. Then he took off again and waited by the door for twenty seconds for her to catch up again.
So he did the obvious things, busing the tray, holding open the door, but ignored the human touches that make those gestures important. He didn't slow his stride to walk with her, he didn't offer his arm through the slick patch on the floor. He told her things instead of asking or listening.
Although, I have to say I was the same way... When I could count my age on two hands.