Messing with old people

Debbie Donivan
February 5, 2016 ·

Checking out at the store, the young cashier suggested to the much older lady that she should bring her own grocery bags, because plastic bags are not good for the environment.
The woman apologized to the young girl and explained, "We didn't have this 'green thing' back in my earlier days."
The young clerk responded, "That's our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment for future generations."
The older lady said that she was right -- our generation didn't have the "green thing" in its day. The older lady went on to explain:
Back then, we returned milk bottles, soda bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycled. But we didn't have the "green thing" back in our day.
Grocery stores bagged our groceries in brown paper bags that we reused for numerous things. Most memorable besides household garbage bags was the use of brown paper bags as book covers for our school books. This was to ensure that public property (the books provided for our use by the school) was not defaced by our scribblings. Then we were able to personalize our books on the brown paper bags. But, too bad we didn't do the "green thing" back then.
We walked up stairs because we didn't have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks.
But she was right. We didn't have the "green thing" in our day.
Back then we washed the baby's diapers because we didn't have the throw away kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy-gobbling machine burning up 220 volts. Wind and solar power really did dry our clothes back in our early days. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing.
But that young lady is right; we didn't have the "green thing" back in our day.
Back then we had one TV, or radio, in the house -- not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of the state of Montana. In the kitchen we blended and stirred by hand because we didn't have electric machines to do everything for us. When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used wadded up old newspapers to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap. Back then, we didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.
But she's right; we didn't have the "green thing" back then.
We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water. We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blade in a r azor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull.
But we didn't have the "green thing" back then.
Back then, people took the streetcar or a bus and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service in the family's $45,000 SUV or van, which cost what a whole house did before the"green thing." We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 23,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest burger joint.
But isn't it sad the current generation laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn't have the "green thing" back then?
Please forward this on to another selfish old person who needs a lesson in conservation from a smart ass young person.
We don't like being old in the first place, so it doesn't take much to piss us off... Especially from a tattooed, multiple pierced smartass who can't make change without the cash register telling them how much.

7/22

           Abe...

                   The older lady is right ! I remember it , I grew up with it ! I recently saw on TCM 
( Turner Classic Movies ) my favorite " The Grapes Of Wrath," if any young person watched 
this today they would see what people went through in those days.....I also have the book...
Oh by the way I have to have surgery for my knee I tore two in my knee...

                                                                         Cheers.......Joe.....

Siorry to hear that Joe.  Did you tear ligaments?  That takes a long time to heal.  Patience is required.
As for the old days, we older folk experienced those things as a normal part of life and many of those things remain with us.

With every benefit there is a cost, Abe?

Keyhole surgery, Joe? Hope it goes well.

Shelagh said:  “With every benefit there is a cost.”
 
Agree.  It caused me to think about this more as I took my morning walk. 
 
There is a price to pay for everything worthwhile in life.  Although there are many promotions using the word “Free” to entice the buyer/user, it is usually misleading. There is no such thing as “Free”.  We hear much talk these days about “Free healthcare”.  Anyone with common sense will not take that literally, however there are some that do while others will use that term as a means to denigrate a worthwhile cause.
 
There are many examples one can use to substantiate the statement: “There is a price to pay for everything worthwhile in life.”
 
You want a good looking body?  What’s the price?  Exercise and depriving yourself of fatty or calorie-laden foods.  Whether the goal is too look good or to maintain your health, work and/or sacrifice is required.
 
You want to save money?  Are you willing to walk instead of drive?  Are you willing to hang out the wash to dry instead of using a dryer?  Are you willing to dig a garden, plant the seeds, cultivate and water the plants?  How much of what we do is associated with “want” instead of “need”.  I am reminded of my wife’s admonishment to me when shopping.  “If we can’t eat it, we don’t need it.”  She knows that I am too often distracted by tools or convenience items.
 
What about opinions/thoughts?  Are you willing to take the risk of ridicule by speaking your mind?  Is playing it safe for self-protection or fear?
 
What about learning?  Do we entertain new ideas, thoughts or do we seek confirmation of our preconceived ideas?   
 
Selling.  Although the word is repulsive to many or they proclaim that they can’t sell, they will try to sell you on the idea that they can’t sell.  The simple act of trying to convince someone of your idea is selling.  People will attempt to sell their brand of religious philosophy.  Some will debate their choice of a political party; however the word “debate” is subject to interpretation.  Selling begins at an early age when children try to convince their parents that they need/want something.
 
Freedom comes with a price and some have paid the ultimate price.  Even “Freeways” are not free.  There are restrictions and often tolls for use of the “Freeway”.  Who pays for the maintenance? 
 
IMV, we need more attention to education.  It is not enough to concentrate on “Reading, Writing & Arithmetic”.  We live in a world of varied cultures and not in isolation.  Social skills are required for interaction.  “To grow, to progress, means change”.  Education is not limited or restricted to formal education.  Much of our learning comes by doing - by taking risks, by experimentation and keeping an open mind. 
 
Those are my thoughts for today.

7/23

           Yes torn ligaments , it's same day surgery it's on the left and right side of my left
            knee...

                                                          Cheers......... Joe...

Did they put a cast on the leg?

7/23

           It hasn't been done yet, they want me to take a heart test to make sure I
can take the anesthesia .... Because I have congestive heart failure...

                                                  Cheers....... Joe..

My thoughts are with you, Joe.

7/25

               Abe..

                          Thanks ! You know insurance companies take forever to say yes to a 
procedure.... I had an MRI the co-payment was $275- before that a regular X-ray was
Co-pay $34- I can imagine what it is for a Echo Cardio...

                                                         Cheers..... Joe

joefrank wrote:

7/25

               Abe..

                          Thanks ! You know insurance companies take forever to say yes to a 
procedure.... I had an MRI the co-payment was $275- before that a regular X-ray was
Co-pay $34- I can imagine what it is for a Echo Cardio...

                                                         Cheers..... Joe

Joe, I do recall a similar situation, but that is now a memory.  I hope that things will soon change and that you will have access to needed care without the hassle and without the "co-pay".
It is difficult to comprehend what so of my friends and relatives experience and take it as the norm.  I will continue to speak out and support a fair and comprehensive healhcare program for all.  Anything worthwhile takes time, effort and persistence.