Why Are Old People So Freakin' Mean?
One millennial's take on why the elderly lady in the coffee shop was so mean to her waitress, and what that says about humanity.
I am currently sitting in a coffee shop in suburban New Jersey, half-working, half-surfing the web, half-stuffing my face with a delicious piece of goat cheese topped multigrain toast. Like any normal human, I survey the people around me, casually ease-dropping. The shop consists of a handful of girls about my age (mid 20s), all sitting separately, typing away on their computers, a young couple chatting away with the barista at the counter, and a mother and a daughter sitting directly in front of me. The mother is probably in her 70s, daughter in her late 40s, early 50s, and the mother is a complete freakin' bitch.
Let me back up a little bit. I don’t even know this woman, right? Why am I being so judgmental? Old people are the cutest! Let's clarify the scene that enfolds in front of me.
Mother and daughter sit down. A few minutes later, mother complains about what is taking so long. (This is a privately own little mom and pop coffee shop, so the service is more personal, less rapid fire). Daughter tries to mute mother.
“She’s probably making it right now…” she says.
“Why don’t you go check,” the mother says.
Daughter begrudgingly gets up, asks the waitress about the food. Low and behold, the waitress had indeed forgot about the order being caught up in another order, and now begins to make the food. Daughter returns, explains the situation, mother huffs and puffs. A few minutes later, food arrives.
Mother hands coffee cup to waitress and says, “Could you bring me another? I’d like to have coffee with this and didn’t expect this to take so long...”
Doesn’t say please, doesn’t say thank you. Waitress kindly takes the cup, refills the coffee (for free, I might add) and returns to the table. Still no thank you, just sass. What. A. Bitch. I laugh out loud (easy, Danielle), and the wheels in my head begin to turn.
Yes, the waitress screwed up the order, and yes, the mother had every right to ask for more coffee/where her food is, but did she have to be so rude about it? Seriously, why the heck are old people so god damn mean? Literally, they just do not give a f*ck. What is it about getting older that causes people to lose patience with humanity? I have a few theories.
You’re tired.
First off, getting older means that you are physically in more discomfort that most young people. Your back aches, your feet ache, everything pretty much aches. Being uncomfortable does not lead to people being the most agreeable. Being tired is a common catalyst for being mean, even for young people, so it makes sense that they elderly would take this grumpiness to the next level. "You don't even know what tired is!"...sigh.
You’re impatient.
You’ve literally spent most of your life taking care of other people, waiting on them. You’re tired of waiting, god damnit! Between jobs, kids, spouses, grandkids, you’ve done more than your duty of being patient with people. So now, you want things ready ON TIME. Plus, your old, right? Who knows how much time you actually have left? Just kidding people (kind of...).
You’re bored.
For a young person, the idea of retirement sounds great. No work! All play! Except, if you didn’t have to go to work, or take care of your kids, or take care of anything really, do you know how bored you would be? Imagine now, you can’t drive, or do anything really on your own (see “You’re Tired” above), and you are bored out of your freaking mind. Sure, Judge Judy and The View occupy a few hours of your time, but what about the rest? Old people are bored, and boredom when unsolved leads to crankiness (in my own experience as well). By the time you DO get out of the house, you’re in such a bad mood everything pisses you off. Wonderful.
You just DGAF.
Seriously, old people just do not give a f*ck. And why should they? You’ve earned your stripes. You’ve survived. You do what you want, and anyone who doesn’t like it, too damn bad.
So, elderly woman inside Boonton Coffee, you indeed were a total bitch to that waitress, and to your daughter, but hey, you’ve kind of earned it. That just means when I’m old an Granny with grown kids, and a husband who sleeps all day, you best believe I’m going to be just as sweet! Thanks fam! <3
About the Creator
Keep reading
More stories from Emily McCay and writers in Humans and other communities.
Title: "Jimmy Carter: An American Excursion of Sympathy and Administration"
In the tranquil town of Fields, Georgia, there carried on with a little fellow named Jimmy who had a voracious interest and endless energy. Since the beginning, he longed for having an effect on the planet, enlivened by the tales of extraordinary legends he read about in books. As Jimmy became older, his feeling of direction just escalated. Not entirely settled to make history, to go to bat for what was correct and battle for the people who couldn't battle for themselves. With a heart loaded with desire and a head brimming with dreams, Jimmy set out on an excursion that would lead him to become perhaps of the most cherished and powerful figure in American history. His name was Jimmy Carter. From his unassuming starting points in provincial Georgia to the consecrated corridors of the White House, Jimmy Carter's process was one of boldness, sympathy, and unflinching commitment to serving others. As a young fellow, Jimmy was attracted to the goals of equity and equity, propelled by the social liberties development that was clearing across the South. He chipped in for the Harmony Corps, venturing out to far off towns in Africa to assist with further developing admittance to medical services and schooling. Yet, it was his re-visitation of Georgia that would genuinely show Jimmy the way to significance. Energized by a longing to make positive change in his own local area, Jimmy hurled himself entirely into nearby governmental issues, ultimately ascending to turn into the legislative head of Georgia. His experience as lead representative was set apart by striking changes and moderate approaches, acquiring him public acknowledgment and making way for his possible campaign for the most elevated position in the land. In 1976, Jimmy Carter was chosen Leader of the US in a notable triumph that caught the creative mind of the country. His administration was characterized by a pledge to harmony, discretion, and common liberties, as he worked energetically to facilitate nonaggression treaties, advance natural protection, and champion the freedoms of ladies and minorities. In any case, maybe Jimmy Carter's most prominent inheritance lies not in that frame of mind of force, but rather in the endless lives he contacted through his generous work and philanthropic endeavors. Indeed, even subsequent to leaving office, Jimmy kept on devoting himself to causes more significant than himself, building homes for the destitute, upholding for worldwide wellbeing drives, and energetically attempting to advance harmony and a majority rules government all over the planet. Today, Jimmy Carter is recollected as an incredible pioneer, yet as a genuine American legend whose empathy, honesty, and unflinching devotion to support keep on moving ages of Americans to take a stab at a superior world. In the quiet town of Fields, Georgia, the sun rose over fields of cotton, giving occasion to feel qualms about a warm gleam the unobtrusive home where Jimmy Carter spent his childhood days. Since the beginning, Jimmy was imparted with the upsides of difficult work, lowliness, and empathy by his caring guardians, Lord and Lillian Carter. As a little fellow, Jimmy's creative mind took off as he ate up books about history, science, and the existences of extraordinary pioneers. He was especially attracted to the tales of Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Martin Luther Lord Jr., whose fortitude and vision motivated him to accept that one individual could genuinely have an effect on the planet. Jimmy's hunger for information drove him to succeed in school, where he separated himself as a splendid and aggressive understudy. He fantasized going to the US Maritime Foundation and serving his country as a maritime official, a fantasy that would at last turn into a reality. In the wake of moving on from the Maritime Foundation in 1946, Jimmy left on a recognized military profession, serving on board submarines and ascending through the positions to turn into a regarded official. It was during this time that Jimmy's feeling of obligation and obligation to support developed, as he saw firsthand the penances made by his kindred servicemen and ladies. In any case, Jimmy's life would go off in a strange direction when his dad became sick and died, provoking him to leave the Naval force and get back to Georgia to assume control over the family nut ranch. It was here, in the midst of the fields of peanuts and cotton, that Jimmy would track down his actual reason for living. Driven by a craving to work on the existences of people around him, Jimmy hurled himself entirely into local area activism and nearby governmental issues, in the end ascending to turn into the legislative leader of Georgia in 1971. His residency as lead representative was set apart by a progression of moderate changes, including extending admittance to medical services, further developing schooling, and advancing racial fairness. In 1976, Jimmy Carter sent off his notable mission for the administration, running on a foundation of trustworthiness, uprightness, and sympathy. Despite everything, Jimmy arose triumphant, turning into the 39th Leader of the US and satisfying his life as a youngster fantasy about serving his country at the most elevated level. As president, Jimmy Carter's initiative was characterized by a pledge to discretion, common liberties, and civil rights. He handled noteworthy nonaggression treaties among Israel and Egypt, advocated the privileges of ladies and minorities, and worked enthusiastically to lighten destitution and craving both at home and abroad. Yet, maybe Jimmy Carter's most persevering through inheritance lies in his post-official years, where he has committed himself to compassionate causes and charity through the Carter Community. From killing illnesses like Guinea worm and stream visual deficiency to advancing majority rules government and compromise all over the planet, Jimmy Carter's enthusiastic endeavors have contacted the existences of millions and roused another age of pioneers to emulate his example. Today, Jimmy Carter's heritage lives on as a brilliant illustration of being a genuine American legend - a man of trustworthiness, empathy, and relentless commitment to serving others. From the cotton fields of Fields, Georgia, to the blessed lobbies of the White House and then some, Jimmy Carter's process reminds us generally that with fortitude, assurance, and an unflinching obligation to our qualities, the sky is the limit.
By Nameless writer5 days ago in Humans
Comments
There are no comments for this story
Be the first to respond and start the conversation.