Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Who raises these people?

I'm at the business center of our complex, printing out all my copies for tomorrow's class. The printer doesn't do two sided copies, so I print the front side out 90 times, reload the machine, and print the second page 90 times. Once I hit the "PRINT" button this old man comes walking over to the machine. I politely ask "Oh, did you print something?" Thinking his "Dr Flu" web-pages are going to come out on the back side of my classwork.

The machine spits out its first copy; it's my stuff, perfect as can be. This old man (early 80s ??) halls off and punches the printer. Hard (for an old man anyway). The young college kid in the room with us tries to ignore what's happening, but I read him, we are both thinking "Who the hell raises these people?"

"I can cancel my copies," I realize there are 80 more coming.

Mr Cranky diaper old man says nothing. Huffs, puffs, and sits down.

I cancel my copies, pull out my half finished prints, and let his flu info web-pages come through. When they are all done I collect them and place them by his computer. He shuffles them up and then slams them on the counter.

I finish my prints and debate whether or not I should inform him he's an ass wipe. If it were a teen I wouldn't hesitate, that's my job; but since he's my elder (and possibly some white supremacist nut job) I say nothing. Just quietly pray he broke his hand and actually does have the flu, cause at his age it'd probably kill him.

I'm shocked by my kindness to idiots. I hope it makes them feel worse.

6 comments:

Unknown said...

LIz you're hillarious! Love your blog!!!

The Briggs Clan said...

Liz I love you! Thanks for the promising laugh whenever I read your rants!! :)

Alison said...

Old or not...two thumbs down!!

(secretly I wish you had followed the ass wipe thought, I love a good Liz story like that)

Unknown said...

Gosh, I was so close to side commenting to the college kid, "So we do really turn into babies when we get old." Or something a little more service oriented, like offering to change his depends. But I figured if he'd punch a machine (in public) for not doing what he wanted it to, I wasn't going to take my chances.

Dad/Poppy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Chelle said...

Oops. That previous comment was from me. I didn't realize my dad was logged into his account. :) I'll try it again as ME.

See, the scary thing is that there is a definite possibility that that man raised children. Which... could put the whole "who raises these people?" question to rest...

Love your blog, Liz. :)

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