As the appeal of holiday leftovers began to wane, the wife and I decided to go out to local favorite Mexican restaurant last night for a change of pace.

Roads were about to be as expected for this time of the year here in the mountains, icy patches and blowing snow on the main thoroughfares and snow cover on the secondary roads with a balmy temperature of about 16 degrees or so with a little 15-20 mph wind thrown in for good measure. Typical winter conditions for this locale.

The establishment was doing a brisk business for a Monday evening considering the weather and as we're waiting for a table I surveyed the joint idly, just out of boredom and to see if there was anyone there I knew.

And I saw at least two in-duh-viduals of questionable intelligence (at least in my mind) weaing those ridiculous "shorts" that you could carry a medium sized dog in as well as your own butt that hang down to the knees. One, as could be expected, was a twenty-something slacker looking type but the other guy had to be at least 50+.

Now, I couldn't care less what they choose to go out in but I have to wonder about the common sense and mental health of someone who feels like they have to wear a hooded insulated parka and gloves to go out and finishes off the ensemble with those goofy looking shorts and sneakers or shower shoes, with socks no less . I understand about college-types and their decision making at the younger end of the spectrum, but have to speculate how anyone that has attained 50 or more years on the planet survives with that kind of decision making skills.

This is not exactly an urban area and there are plenty of places within two minutes driving time from the establishment where putting your car in a ditch or a snow bank could cause you to have to get out and hoof it for a few miles to reach help.

Anyone else care to weigh in ? Just one of those things that makes me shake my head and wonder about the survival of the species with this much pollution in the gene pool . . . .

Time does fly, doesn't it? The baggy shorts in winter thing started in the 80's making those "pioneers" (and I use the term loosely) about 40 now. I never did get it and never will. When it started, it was intended as an outward sign of rebellion, much like the Camels-in-the-shirt-sleeve-and-greaser haircuts of the 50's or the tie-die-no-bra-and-long hair of the 60's. It's either a dated fashion statement or a public declaration of stupidity. I'm going with the latter ...

It's a good bet that these same folks will be wearing a hoodie sweatshirt (head covered) when it's 100 degrees in July.

I view it as a cry of "Oh please, somebody look at me!"

BTW, they probably refer to themselves in the 3rd person.

Almost as bad is driving past the bus stop and seeing teens wearing a hoodie,but no coat and its 20 degrees.Common sense is dead.

Just speculation of course, but the one that looked 50+ was very likely the younger brother of the one looking 20-something, but had slid into the ditch on his way to the fine dining establishment on previous occasions and had been prematurely aged from the unheeded learning experience.

The sad truth is that there are a lot of people out there (you pick where "there" is) that don't have the common sense God gave dirt.

We live about a stones throw from the Ohio river, so we didn't get anywhere as much snow and wind as the folks living East of us, but it was enough for us folks that are truely 50+ (and that is a significant chronological understatement) to dress warmly and drive carefully.

Be careful neighbor,
John

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Age + Treachery = JohnnieB

A couple years ago my youngest, who lives in SE Michigan, related this one to me.

A distinguished member of the community was home alone one evening in late January while his wife was visiting her parents and not wanting to cook for himself, he ordered a pizza. The pizzerias in the area weren't delivering due to road conditions, so he had to know it was pretty bad outside (Near blizzard conditions, -20 and windy), but he had a 4WD SUV that could go anywhere at anytime and he decided to pick it up.

He was wearing dress slacks and an undershirt, but his SUV was in the attached, semi-heated garage, so he didn't bother to bundle up for the cold.
He also didn't bother to retrieve his cellphone from the charger, or check the gas gauge.

You guessed it. They found him frozen stiff about a hundred yards from his SUV, about a mile from his house.

Sometimes supposedly smart people do very dumb things,
John

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Age + Treachery = JohnnieB

Well call me stupid but I see nothing wring with tie died t shirts no bras and long hair-at least on women

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Forum consigliere

Dumb fashion decisions hit people in all walks of life. I work at a business that employs lots of secretaries. It always amazes me how many will show up on a snowy, icy day in the same high heels that they wear all summer, then blame the road crews, our grounds guys, etc., if they slip or their feet get wet.

I often wondered why so many grips and gaffer in the film industry wear shorts in the winter with winter coats and work boots...I finally asked one and he told me that with all the climbing and bending, it's much easier in shorts...who knew?

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Thirty characters. Exactly...

Probably had his baseball type cap 0n backwards too!

I remember wearing a dress with stockings and heels and freezing while waiting for the bus to work. That was dress code. I stopped wearing the high heels to work only after seeing a woman mugged and knocked off her feet in the middle of a Newark, NJ street. After that, I wore sneakers and carried my work shoes. It wasn't the freezing that got to me; it was the inability to run.

Fashion is sometimes stupid but it shouldn't be deadly.