r/BoomersBeingFools

I went to a sports store to buy some exercise weights. I saw the box of them just across the checkout area and the only open register so I figured I could just lift this myself, hurry to the register, pay for it, and be out the door. No shopping cart needed, despite how heavy this box would be.

So I lifted the box up and was struggling to carry this heavy box of dumbells in my arms to the check out line which was empty, and this old boomer lady came right around the corner by the clothes rack and saw me struggling with this box in front of the only open register.

So she rushes towards me, but not to help, but to skip in front of me in line and beat me to the cashier. She then looks back at me with a smug look as I'm holding these weights. I let it go, maybe she didn't see I was carrying something heavy and was in front of her. Or maybe she had a good excuse. It annoyed me though because I would have let someone struggling go first or helped them.

I guess I involuntarily sighed, because of my discouragement in humanity or fact I'm now in line holding this box waiting for someone to check out. She heard my sigh and then turned to me and paused to give me a look. Then this lady locks eyes with me. She then reaches her hand out and intentionally "drops"(more like throws down) a single coupon to the floor right at my feet. She basically tossed this coupon down at my feet and leaned back to stare at me in anticipation of my reaction with her arms folded. She threw it down intentionally while staring right at me. It was weird.

I didn't say anything to her. I just moved back a little to see what exactly she threw to the floor in front of me. It was a coupon. I just want her to finish checking out at this point. But she keeps standing there and stopped what she was doing and stares at me longer. She doesn't even attempt to pick up this coupon. At this point she is paused and the cashier looks to see why the woman is frozen in a death glare at me. Then she finally speaks and says, "Well, are you gonna be a gentleman?"

It took me a second to realize what she wanted. So I struggled a bit and got down on my knees to put down the weight set I was carrying to the floor so that I could then reach over and pick up her coupon she tossed on the floor to hand to her. I pick it up and hand it to her while she is just staring at me.

She just took it out of my hand and didn't say thank you or anything. She just snatched it from me and acted disappointed in me, like I was being rude or ungentlemanly to her. Not even a thank you. Nothing was said.

Then she went on to take her sweet time paying and then wasting time arguing with the cashier about her coupon or sale and getting the cashier all flustered and red in the face. I literally only had 1 item. The heavy box full of weights I was struggling to carry out. She took forever.

The whole incident was almost like a bad joke. She was so rude and entitled. She could have just had the tiniest bit of patience or given me the smallest bit of grace. But no. I could never treat someone that way in public.

She just stared me down and then threw that coupon down to the floor like she was throwing a playing card down at a poker table, then challenged me with a "Well, are you gonna be a gentleman?".

Just had one at work. I'm on my break and one of the newer 3rd shifters is looking at something on his phone. It's loud enough that I can make every word. It some video about learning and concentration with what sounds like an AI voice narrating which is extremely grating. Unfortunately I'm one seat away from him and my bone conducting headphones aren't loud enough to drown him out. (There're cheap LOL). I politely tap on shoulder and ask if he has headphones. He say he doesn't. So I ask if he can turn it down. He claims it's not that loud. Dude I can make out every fucking word it's saying. I tell him I can hear it over my headphones. He proceeds to point to a distant chair and tells me " Go move then". He then goes back to his video and proceeds to ignore me.

I move only so I don't end up punching him him in the throat for the fucking annoying video. Some folks do not have common courtesy for those around them.

For reference I’m a somewhat heavily tattooed person. So I’m standing in line at the grocery store, minding my business, when the older woman in front of me glances back. She slowly shakes her head and does that little tsk tsk sound people make when they disapprove of something.
At first, I assume she’s annoyed about the line moving slowly and wants someone to join in her irritation. (Which already annoys me because complaining won’t make things move faster.) So I avoid eye contact and keep to myself.
Then she turns around and says, “Real shame you did that to yourself.”
Now she has my attention.
I look directly at her and ask, “Are you speaking to me?”
She says, “Yes. You have such beautiful skin and you’ve covered it all up with those tattoos.”
At this point, I’m annoyed because… what an unnecessary thing to say to a complete stranger.
So I tell her, “I love my skin with and without tattoos, and you really shouldn’t feel so comfortable commenting on people’s appearance when they didn’t ask for your opinion.”
She gets instantly offended and looks absolutely flabbergasted. Then says, “Well, I was trying to give you a compliment!”
I told her that wasn’t a compliment, and maybe next time she should think twice before commenting on a stranger’s appearance.
She just kept shaking her head at me like I had somehow disappointed her.
Luckily, by then she had reached the cashier, which redirected her attention for a minute. When she finished checking out, she snarkily said, “You have a nice day.”
I smiled big and told her to have one too.
I genuinely hope she remembers this interaction the next time she feels compelled to give someone a backhanded “compliment.” But somehow I doubt it.

2nd time posting. If not allowed, please give me feedback on how to make it meet the posting guidelines:

For reference I’m a somewhat heavily tattooed person. So I’m standing in line at the grocery store, minding my business, when the older (boomer) woman in front of me glances back. She slowly shakes her head and does that little *tsk tsk* sound people make when they disapprove of something.
At first, I assume she’s annoyed about the line moving slowly and wants someone to join in her irritation. (Which already annoys me because complaining won’t make things move faster.) So I avoid eye contact and keep to myself.
Then she turns around and says, “Real shame you did that to yourself.”
Now she has my attention.
I look directly at her and ask, “Are you speaking to me?”
She says, “Yes. You have such beautiful skin and you’ve covered it all up with those tattoos.”
At this point, I’m annoyed because… what an unnecessary thing to say to a complete stranger.
So I tell her, “I love my skin with and without tattoos, and you really shouldn’t feel so comfortable commenting on people’s appearance when they didn’t ask for your opinion.”
She gets instantly offended and looks absolutely flabbergasted. Then says, “Well, I was trying to give you a compliment!”
I told her that wasn’t a compliment, and maybe next time she should think twice before commenting on a stranger’s appearance.
She just kept shaking her head at me like *I* had somehow disappointed *her*.
Luckily, by then she had reached the cashier, which redirected her attention for a minute. When she finished checking out, she snarkily said, “You have a nice day.”
I smiled big and told her to have one too.
I genuinely hope she remembers this interaction the next time she feels compelled to give someone a backhanded “compliment.” But somehow I doubt it.

This happened a little while ago but it still lives rent free in my head. I was taking my baby son to the eye doctor and in the waiting room with him and my husband. It was dead silent, just us and the 2 receptionists. All of a sudden the door is practically kicked in by a boomer patient coming to check in. He storms in, goes up to the desk and gives his name for check in, screaming of course. They ask a couple questions about his current address and insurance. He answers and then shouts "DO YOU NEED TO KNOW MY PRONOUNS TOO? I GO BY HE HIM IF THAT MATTERS"! Obviously being sarcastic. The receptionist just said "ok" and gave him a smile like she was half confused and half annoyed.

They called him back almost immediately to do a preliminary eye exam in a small room at the front. He sat down, telling the technician again, very loudly, that "if she needs to know pronouns, it is he/him". Also confused, they just said "ok". He then went on a rant about how people can identify as a copy machine or a printer these days and maybe next time he comes back, he'll identify as a cat. They called him back to see the doctor, he was in there for maybe about 10 minutes max and stormed back out saying he was done and asked if he needed to check out. The receptionist said he was all set and he ended with a very unnecessary "maybe I'll come up with a whole new gender identity next time I come in!" and slammed the door open to leave. I'm assuming to return to his man cave to watch more Fox News.

I can't imagine living a life that would allow me to get worked up over pronouns like that for god knows what reason. It was so strange, it just pops in to my head from time to time and I still think it's wild.

ETA- He also looked at our son on his way out and said "he's cute. it is a he, right?? for now at least". 🙄

I love my grandparents, but they genuinely do not understand how much the world has changed since the 80s-90s.

Currently, I do not have a job. However I have applied to countless jobs. Most I never heard back from, the rest I got rejected. All that to say, I am actively looking for and applying for jobs.

Well I was kind of ranting to my grandparents because I was a little discouraged from being rejected, and my grandmother decides to chime in (with an attitude):

“Your mother ought to be making you work! I made your dad work at your age!”

…What?

I tried to explain that I’m applying, but I’m not being accepted. She just kept repeating the same thing.

What is she expecting my mother to do? March in there and demand I be hired? Also I am an adult, my mother doesn’t have anything to say about my job search. And I can confidently say that my dad was working because he wanted to, not because his mother “made him.”

My mother (or father):  I am upset that you haven't returned my calls.
Me: Sorry.  My schedule has been so insane that I have not had any time to call you.
My mother:  Well then you can just call and let me know that you are busy and can’t call me.  

Logic brought to you by the same folks who think “comp time” is a benefit. 

I witnessed an accident this morning. An old man in glaucoma glasses in a diesel chevy rolled past the stop sign into traffic, and an old lady who couldn't barely see over the steering wheel drove into his driver's side door. Zero brakes, lucky she was going 10 under. I stopped until the paramedics arrived. Zero clue as to what happened, either one of the drivers. How long will these geriatrics in 8000 lb vehicles be allowed to do this stuff?

I’m sitting in the waiting room at the local clinic. A boomer woman in slippers is blasting her country music and MAGA-laced reels at full volume. I’d love to add a clip of this, but there is other medical information being discussed within earshot. Why do they all think that we want to hear how easy it is to make a three-ingredient hot dish set to some redneck music?

Found an old plastic horse at the goodwill today. I saw it in the pile of toys and said to my husband “oh! Look! I had a horse just like that! I want that!”Suddenly this boomer woman cuts in front of me to snatch it up.

I was bummed and annoyed but that’s how thrifting goes sometimes. I start looking at other stuff and I notice this boomer is inspecting the horse like it’s a jewel in a pawnshop. Fiddling with its legs, flipping it over, poking it. I wandered away to look at another aisle and wander back to see she was still standing there messing with it. She eventually put it back on the shelf. Yay! I wait a minute to give her time to move on before going and picking it up. It’s pretty beat up but it is from the 90s and it’s good enough for my son to play with.

Boomer notices I’ve picked up the horse and comes over and starts looking in our cart. I just wanted to scream at her “I’m just being nostalgic! This horse is absolutely worthless! It’s for my kid! You have nothing to gain from this old piece of plastic, go away…” I will never understand why certain boomers hate the idea of anyone else finding joy in something or getting a good bargain. It’s a special level of greed.

I've earlier posted about my Boomer Mother-In-Law being only able to tolerate one event being on the calendar per day, but today took the cake. I'll note she's 76, but is mentally and physically completely fit.

She just finished yelling at me because tomorrow contains:

1. She has to "drive across town" for an errand. (We are not in Atlanta -- that is 30 minutes at most).

2. The House Cleaner is coming to clean in the evening, and

3. There's an electrician coming during the day.

#3 was apparently just too much for her. He's my regular guy, knows exactly what to do, and all she has to do is let him in the door. I also got a long lecture about how much work watching other people clean our house is.

I just can't nod along with this anymore.

I'm at Sam's Club this morning waiting for the rotisserie chicken to be ready. There are 3 people waiting ahead of me but no distinct line. The chicken rack is out of the oven and the worker is putting chicken in the containers and putting on price tags. Male boomer comes around the bread and loudly complains about no rotisserie chicken. A nice lady with two toddlers in her cart lets him know they are currently being boxed up (had he looked behind the warmer he would have seen that for himself). So he's now waiting with the rest of us. Worker comes out carrying three containers to put in the warmer, boomer walks up and grabs the top two containers. Worker's jaw is on the floor, everyone usually waits until he sets them in the warmer. Crowd mumbles disapproval. Mom with toddlers looks at him and says "what do you think we were waiting for?" Boomer says "he has more" puts containers in his cart and walks away. I was not quick enough with a comment. I still haven't thought of a good one.

I swear DIY car washes turn some boomers into the most impatient people on earth.

I was washing my truck, and I’d been there maybe four minutes when Boomer dude who had been waiting all of two minutes walks over to the timer box and informs me that “normally people only use six minutes and then let the next person go because that’s the polite thing to do.”

Sir… there are multiple bays here, you’re the only person waiting, and I’m literally paying for the time.

The attendant eventually had to come over and tell him to wait his turn.

Then it happened again recently. I used three minutes, tapped my card for another three, and the boomer behind me started inching his truck forward while I was still spraying the car. Like physically creeping into the bay a foot at a time while shaking his head at me.

I genuinely don’t understand this level of impatience from the elderly. It honestly feels like they’ve forgotten how to exist around other people without trying to manage them.

“She reportedly revealed that her husband kept coming into her room and irritating her, so she grabbed a handgun and waited for the next time he returned. 

When he never did, Sheri allegedly went looking for him and fired a shot into his chest after finding him in a recliner. The handgun was later recovered by deputies.”