Last night, I was minding my own business in Sears, looking for a lawn mower blade.
Because, God forbid, all the parts on the damn mower should work at the same time.
As I was bemoaning the fact that the Super Duper Diamond Encrusted Extra Special Lawn Tractor Blades were the only kind they had in the size I needed, I looked up and noticed an acquaintance I hadn't seen in years, and we began to chat.
He's nice enough, but he's also one of those over-eager social types.
You know the ones, they seem (warning: adverb and punctuation abuse ahead) overly sincerely. interested. in. everything. you. have. to. say. yet, at the same time, you're pretty sure they don't hear anything you're saying.
Now, I'm not knocking people who take the time to listen, and he's a really nice guy, but my suspicions were confirmed:
Guy: "Blah, blah, blah, blah...Hey, what's Busy Dad up to?"
Me: "Not much, I think he's at home throwing things, actually." (see lawnmower blade above)
Guy: "Hey, wow, that's super!"
Me: "..."
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- What now?
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Uh, sometimes I do that to my mom. I'm not proud. It's just hard to get off the phone with her sometimes.
But I don't do it in social situations. Swear.
Do people really say "Super" anymore?
Yeah, he wasn't listening. There's too much of that going around these days.
Now . . . what were you saying?
Unfortunately, situations like that just make me want to see what I could say that would actually get a response.
"Yeah, ever since 'the accident' he just hasn't been the same. Just sits in the living room, throwing dishes against the wall, drooling, and jabbering about how 'they're coming to get us all.' I don't know if I can take it anymore. I think I might kill him tonight."
If he says that's super, you have the permission of all that is right in the world to just.walk.away.
(Or strangle him, depending on your mood.)
I've been party to conversations like that, but never come up with a smart retort.
Kudos.
If he wasn't a guy, I might mistake him for my mother...
heh. great test of listening. way to go. i am thinking he is a repeat offender.
Did he use neat-o as well? ;)
yeah he seriously wasn't listening. I tend to do that sometimes...not meaning to, it just happens.
hey, I know guys like that!!
OMG! I know guys like that!!! Thanks for the chuckle!!! Love your blog... love it!!!
- Audrey
OMG! I know guys like that!!! Thanks for the chuckle!!! Love your blog... love it!!!
- Audrey
OMG! I know guys like that!!! Thanks for the chuckle!!! Love your blog... love it!!!
- Audrey
That's so funny...I call these people "the dryer people"... it's like waiting at the laundromat for the dryer to finish and finally it turns off, so you go running over...only to find that a shoe or something hit the door causing it to open and there's still 18 minutes left on the counter...
great post!
Twitter was down so I took your advice and here I am.
I definitely know that guy. But I'm still working up the nerve to insert something ridiculous into the conversation, just to see what he does.
Hee! That's my cue to say, "Nice to see you. Gotta go. Bye!"
Things are more complicated at Sears once you get past drop-dead gorgeous mannequins in cotton dresses and move on to lawn mower blades.
So funny! This happens to me sometimes because I'm hearing impaired. But this guy? No, he just wasn't listening, and he didn't fake it quite well enough.