There's this lady in my BF's building, and she's always grumpy, but she's nice to people her age. I think she's agecist!
2007-04-17 13:54:45 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
Don't be agecist yourself. Treat her as you would treat anyone else who acted that way.
An old lady at the store pushed a cart into me (not nudged it either!) and I turned around to face her, she said "Knew that would move you!" and walked off.
I'm sure they had the phrase "excuse me" back in her day. It was quiet so I knew she hadn't said it either.
Point is not all people are nice. I don't think it's an age thing. I bet there are people her age that she does not act nice to as well.
We are all going through "stuff" in our lives, it's no excuse to take anything out on anyone who doesn't diserve it.
Treat her the way you treat everyone who acts that way. If you give everyone daisys after they act that way with you, then give her one too. lol
2007-04-17 14:15:36 · answer #1 · answered by msd0lly 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
D'ya know, as the resident dinosaur in my work group, I can kinda understand where the grumpy lady is coming from. I'm 50, and I share an office with two very hip young people who haven't yet seen the downhill side of their twenties, bless 'em.
I have to say that we grumpy old ladies sometimes behave that way because, unlike young people, we actually have aches and pains and sometimes medical problems that make us feel tired, or old, or crabby. When I was young, I didn't know about that part of getting older, but it's true. The older you get the more problems you usually have, and there's nothing like pain or discomfort for making you grumpy.
We dinosaurs also know that the average young person really objectifies us-- we're "that grumpy old lady" and we make you afraid that if you're nice to us, we'll go into our "now when I was your age..." mode and tell you something you don't want to hear about how things were when we were young. We know you really don't want to hear it, you'd rather talk about the here and now, but it doesn't feel good to be made to feel unwanted when we open our mouths to say something.
You also have to understand that inside every grumpy old lady lives a young woman, and that even women who are VERY grumpy and VERY old don't think of themselves that way except when circumstances force them to. The grumpy old lady you're objecting to might have been a real firecracker when she was your age (and she was your age, once!) and might feel resentful that you can't see that in her.
Cut us grumpy older ladies a break. We enjoy talking to young people as long as we're convinced that you aren't going to make fun of us as soon as our backs are turned.
2007-04-17 15:38:24 · answer #2 · answered by Karin C 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The question here is, what do you do to her to make her grumpy at you? Old people like gifts, give her a pretty gerber daisy. She'll love it. HONEST>
2007-04-17 14:01:07 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You have no idea what might be going on in her life. She might be battling cancer, or arthritis or loss of memory. Can you imagine what it is like not to be able to function like you once did? I am not old, but I have systemic lupus erythematosus and it does some of the same things. I have lived in pain 24/7 and take toxic drugs that destroy other parts of my body. Why not try some compassion? www.lupus.org
2007-04-17 13:59:33 · answer #4 · answered by Linda R 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Give her one....lol
sometimes old people are always grumpy, they always seem to hate younger people...for some reason
2007-04-17 13:59:17 · answer #5 · answered by Beto24 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
She's probably had some bad experiences with young people. Stay courteous, smile, stay polite, and respectful. Show her not all young people are rude and disrespectful. Because if YOU do the right thing, then it becomes all her problem, not yours.
2007-04-17 14:03:12 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
how about killing her with kindness? Say "good morning, (insert old bat's name here). How are you? Lovely weather we're having, don't you think?"
Young people always want older generations to relate to them - why not try relating to them on their terms instead. She probably has a history of disrespectful kids with attitudes giving her lip.
2007-04-17 13:59:48 · answer #7 · answered by Shameless Women's Advocate 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Leave a box of Depends adult diapers in front of her door with a bow on it like a birthday present.
2007-04-17 14:04:21 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Say simmer down now no need to be so angry all the time you can burst a blood vessel and get a stroke.
2007-04-18 07:48:01 · answer #9 · answered by emaciated asian chick 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just keep saying hello to her every time you see her with a smile on your face. Say nothing else unless she says something.
2007-04-17 13:59:34 · answer #10 · answered by furrryyy 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋