A Real Shock, An Insult?
 

We are having some work done on our house. Interior paint, floor covering and rehab of the roof. Very nice and competent guy doing the paint and roof. A nice combination and I told him so. Told him he could use us as a reference anytime.

He thanked me and said we were very nice people to deal with and he was tryiing to build his business since commercial construction is so slow. He said: "I really like helping out Elderly People like you folks". "In fact I'm working on anther elderly couple's house just down the street."

Elderly? Where in blazes did THAT come from? I'm barely into my eighth decade and except for the trauma from a fall on the ice don't do things much different than years ago.

Should I be insulted, or milk it for all its' worth?

Did you ask for the Sr Citizens discount??

A few years ago an 86 year-old neighbor made regular trips to visit "the old people" in a local facility. Between trips she mowed her large lawn with a push reel mower. She eventually died before getting old.

I think I was 45 or 46 when I got my first Senior discount (at Long John Silvers). I'm not gonna complain.

Oh well.

I was going to say take BD's advice (turn down the sensitivity knob), but his sig changed! :lol:

I'd ride that hoss as far as it will go

Retaliate in kind.

I decided that it's okay to refer to anyone half my age or less as "kid".

A couple of years ago I was unloading my bike from my car and spied two strapping young men on their spiffy bikes. I asked them where they were going and whether they could recommend a good ride in the area. They answered that they were about to ride 25 very hilly miles around the lake, but I would probably be happier with a brief flat ride in the opposite direction. I was able to reply truthfully, "I actually did the lake ride last week and am looking for something new."

On a similar occasion along another hilly lake route a young guy asked me incredulously, "Did you just ride all the way around the lake?" I said, "Nope, twice around!"

Felt good. :-) Treasure those incidents.

If he is not yet 60 then you are "elderly" to him so don't get your pants in a bunch. He was just being polite as he saw it.

Geez, so sensitive already.:innocent::innocent:

Well, you're typing your complaint in the 50+ forum which is basically the Geezer forum (and Geezette, I guess). It's like the line, "Tease me about my age and I'll hit you with my cane!"

My mother was always offended if mistaken for an 'old person' before she retired (seat on a bus, Seniors discounts at movies), but now she milks it for all it is worth.

My grandmother (turning 100 in a month) doesn't like Nursing Homes because they are "full of crazy old people". Hello? Grandma?
She's actually living in a hostel at the moment (not quite a nursing home) because they are renovating parts of her apartment building and she can't cope with that.

I can get a discount at Long John Silvers? Or was it just because you LOOKED old?

PS - Get off my lawn!

Ah yes... here it is.

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...tHome/scan.jpg

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...me/scan1-2.jpg

Apparently the latter; you're supposed to be 55 to get the discount.

Well, guess I did the right thing then. Once I got over the shock. I just told him that for a Kid he wasn't too bad.

In my area being an Elder is a Good Thing. Maybe there is some benefit to being Elderrly too.

Until quite recently, my Mum was still doing volunteer work, helping "old folk". Many of them were 10 or even 20 years younger than her.

BINGO!

If he wants to get more business from people like you, he should offer a discount. I wouldn't care if he called it a Senior Citizens discount, an elderly discount, a retro grouch discount, or even an old, fat, bald guy discount. As long as I hear the word "discount" I'm pretty much happy with whatever adjective he chooses to use.

Senior Discounts ---- Don't make me ask for it.

It's all relative -- to a 20 year old 50 is old. I am in my 60's - feel 40 - think i'm 20 - look like i'm ............. well, lets just leave it here.

Let him know that you tell everyone there is a young kid starting out that probably doesn't have much experience due to his young age but seems none the less willing to learn as he grows up....

Just consider it a present from me for one of the discounts I did not get, because I did not know I was old enough.

You don't know what old is, I do!

Last year I was contacted by the Boy Scouts to see if I still had my
uniforms. They want them for the museum! And I ain't dead yet!
That's how you know you are old!

The uniforms have historical significance. I had lunch with the President
as a Boy Scout in 1960. There are pictures. And I did have the uniforms.

Yeah, like still being alive.

Hey, as said he was at least being courteous about things:thumb:. That is a rarity in this day and time. Good work, on-time and courteous would do it for me everytime, even if he called me an elderly person. I can live with this all day:p.

I was raised to say -sir and -mam, to hold a door for a lady or my seniors and to be polite. The Marines reinforced all of these things. Just go with it:innocent:.

We respect that anyone in their 8th decade and still cycling and active as you are deserves all our respect, sir.

Bill