The Clog from OzWhat Do You Say to
October 17th 2006 08:26
"A bore is a man who, when you ask him how he is, tells you." - Bert Leston Taylor
Oh don’t you love the whole “Hi, how are you?” greeting? It’s so redundant but important in case the responder is in horrific strife. Because, who doesn’t mutter something like a humble, “Good thanks, how are you?” unless you really do have big issues?
I tend to use the “Yeah, good” just for something different and shake it up a bit with “Yeah, good. And yourself?” or “Yeah great, what have you been up to?” – or if I’m in a really positive mood, something like, “Yeah awesome. Had a great day so far. How’ve you been?” But that’s about as conversable as I’ll get during the small talk greeting. Anything more than that is just getting ridiculous.
I do know some older people that would talk the pants off you if they had the chance – especially relatives. There is also a 90-year-old tradesman that sometimes comes to our house and drives my family absolutely INSANE! He would give you an accurate description of whatever is wrong with the house (which you’d hope for in a trady) but in this painfully slow voice…
”Well… what we’ve got is…. the um.. thing has a …. leak in it… and I think we… need to….” – ARGH! Very annoying! Poor old timer, I should cut him some slack, but it’s just so hard to hold a conversation with him.
I don’t think that Bert Leston Taylor would qualify this man as a ‘bore’ because of his abilities to talk the pants off you, he’s just an old guy who’s getting a little slow and wants a (long winded) chat. I’ve not actually met anyone else that answers the question, “How are you?” with an interesting answer.
Oh don’t you love the whole “Hi, how are you?” greeting? It’s so redundant but important in case the responder is in horrific strife. Because, who doesn’t mutter something like a humble, “Good thanks, how are you?” unless you really do have big issues?
I tend to use the “Yeah, good” just for something different and shake it up a bit with “Yeah, good. And yourself?” or “Yeah great, what have you been up to?” – or if I’m in a really positive mood, something like, “Yeah awesome. Had a great day so far. How’ve you been?” But that’s about as conversable as I’ll get during the small talk greeting. Anything more than that is just getting ridiculous.
I do know some older people that would talk the pants off you if they had the chance – especially relatives. There is also a 90-year-old tradesman that sometimes comes to our house and drives my family absolutely INSANE! He would give you an accurate description of whatever is wrong with the house (which you’d hope for in a trady) but in this painfully slow voice…
”Well… what we’ve got is…. the um.. thing has a …. leak in it… and I think we… need to….” – ARGH! Very annoying! Poor old timer, I should cut him some slack, but it’s just so hard to hold a conversation with him.
I don’t think that Bert Leston Taylor would qualify this man as a ‘bore’ because of his abilities to talk the pants off you, he’s just an old guy who’s getting a little slow and wants a (long winded) chat. I’ve not actually met anyone else that answers the question, “How are you?” with an interesting answer.
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Comment by Lily
Ars Poetica
bit of a no brainer, isn't it?
i've been known to reply "I don't know?".. to which a puzzled look creeps over the face of the asker; and the small talk is over ..
don't get me started on oldies who talk too much..
or Loquacious Lily will come out... and she's a lil tired...
~Lily
Comment by RachDegab
Lol. I'm definitely going to try "I don't know" - that's classic!
RachDegab