My wife and I were out to dinner the other night and our young waitress came over w/two carafs of coffee and asked; “Regular or decaf?” Without thinking I piped up; “Hightest” which resulted in a blank stare from her. In her young life there has never been any such thing as high test anything. We laughed, made the correction and I launched into a primer about the origin of this phrase. She smiled, thanked me for my educational moment and poured me another cup of hightest (nice kid). Guess I’m showing my age in more ways than one.
This Younger Generation
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SailDesign
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Thank you for not witching on about "she was too young and knew nothing" or somesuch.
We were all young once, and knew little of our parents' or grandparents' world - and the World is changing faster and faster these days, tough to keep up.
yaktamer
Member
At my last job my assistant was about 20-25 years younger than me. Every now and then I'd make some pop culture reference and get a blank look. Made me feel old. I've always said my test for whether somebody is old or not is whether they remember when you could test your TV tubes at the drug store.
The "old tube tester". I recall seeing them (born in 1958), and remember the tubes having to warm up to watch TV, along with the little "dot" afterglow when shut down. But technology really moved fast during my generation (baby boomers). I recall Grandmother & GrandDads outhouse, and when my Dad put running water in their house for the first time. (I sure loved it on the farm) Then we went and landed on the moon. (so they say)
I think life got much more complicated during that era as well. I catch myself calling it "high test" too. That poor girl probably went back in the kitchen and got a good laugh "at the old guy".
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I often say things that must really.....
I'm pretty old for a Dad and I often say something around my teenage son and his friends then I think, "They have no idea where I"m coming from."
I'm pretty old for a Dad and I often say something around my teenage son and his friends then I think, "They have no idea where I"m coming from."
LVSteve
Member
I've been watching the original Hawaii Five-O recently. The stories mostly hold up, but the sight of cops using payphones or walkie-talkies with yard long antennas is pretty funny.
Young folks got to learn sumwheres.....
Thank you for taking the time to be a teacher.
A few of us ol timers refer to our coffee as 'Leaded or Un-leaded'....
And then there's those ol time waitresses that know what's up
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdYXQ-IPZcc[/ame]
.
Thank you for taking the time to be a teacher.
A few of us ol timers refer to our coffee as 'Leaded or Un-leaded'....
And then there's those ol time waitresses that know what's up
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdYXQ-IPZcc[/ame]
.
johnt671
US Veteran
While in the Corps, in 71 or 72, I was somewhere in the booneys in NC. I pulled into an old time gas station, with a coverall dressed old timer in a straw hat leaning back on an old chair sleeping. The car was a loud 66 Impala SS with a 396 and glasspacks. He popped one eye open and asked what I wanted. I asked him to fill it with high test. He asked ethyl or methyl. I laughed and told him I wanted gas, not a woman. He looked a me and laughed. I guess I was the young whippersnapper in this case.
Every so often the knowledge or experience of us older folks is appreciated. When I worked for the insurance company, one of my colleagues in the underwriting department, a younger single mom, wanted a dial telephone so that if the power went off in her house she could still call out for help. She asked me to get one for her, reasoning that if anyone could find a working dial telephone, it would be me.
And for what it's worth, I have 3 working dial telephones in my house.
And for what it's worth, I have 3 working dial telephones in my house.
yaktamer
Member
I'm in the same boat. Felt weird explaining to my kids what a payphone was the first time they saw one.
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We have gotten so used to...
....razzle, dazzle high tech that even computers with floppy disk drives or a command prompt are laughingly quaint.
....razzle, dazzle high tech that even computers with floppy disk drives or a command prompt are laughingly quaint.
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Gahan Wilson cartoon...
Mother and kid in a concrete jungle city. By the sidewalk is this scraggledy little tree. The kid is terrified and climbing over his mother to get away from it. She says:
"Don't be afraid dear. It's just a tree."
Mother and kid in a concrete jungle city. By the sidewalk is this scraggledy little tree. The kid is terrified and climbing over his mother to get away from it. She says:
"Don't be afraid dear. It's just a tree."
hardcase60
Member
Young folks got to learn sumwheres.....
Thank you for taking the time to be a teacher.
A few of us ol timers refer to our coffee as 'Leaded or Un-leaded'....
And then there's those ol time waitresses that know what's up
What Don't You Want? Waitress | Hell or High Water (2016) | 1080p HD - YouTube
.
There was a time in Houston when I know darn well the owners of a couple restaurants had bidding wars on which one would pay her sister the highest wage. One was Avenue Grill on Houston Avenue off Washington and the other was Phil's at Shepherd and Farnham. hardcase60
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Hardcase60,
There's a joint in Athens, (if it ain't burnt down)
The Bean & Burger. Some youngsters just a learnin and
sum grandma that's seen and heard it all.
Su Amigo,
Dave
There's a joint in Athens, (if it ain't burnt down)
The Bean & Burger. Some youngsters just a learnin and
sum grandma that's seen and heard it all.
Su Amigo,
Dave
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steelslaver
US Veteran
When I am in a coffee or sandwich shop where they ask for a name on the order I always respond with Frank Zappa, and never get a second look. LOL. One time another waiting customer, about my age said "right over her head".
yaktamer
Member
After the high school football games we always went out to Bob's Big Boy to eat. There was always a wait, and when they asked for a name to put us on the list we'd say, "Surch." So when our table was ready the hostess would call out, "Search party of four!"
snuffy51
Member
I still carry my Dad's old pocket watch. You would not believe how many younger people have never heard a clock "tick-tock". My main problem interacting with other people they talk faster than I can listen.
Ole Joe Clark
Absent Comrade
Exactly, some of the kids at church did some announcements and played them on the video board. I don't know what they said cause I can't hear that fast.
Have a blessed day,
Leon
LoboGunLeather
US Veteran
During my first few years as a cop we were required to always have a dime to use a pay phone if necessary. Shift commander frequently checked at pre-shift briefings. (Also checked to be sure we had notebooks, 2 pens, working flashlight, hair was cut, shoes were shined and revolvers were cleaned).
First portable/hand-held radios I recall were over a foot long, about 4" X 4" through the body, had extending antenna about 2 feet long, weighed about 5 pounds, and a battery capacity that allowed no more than about 20 minutes of transmitting use. While walking a beat we received our calls on a series of tower lights, then went to a phone box to get the details rather than running down the radio battery (that was for emergencies only).
Only Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, and Scotty had good reliable portable communicators. Us cops sure didn't.
Bill Bates
Member
It cuts both ways. I'm sure I had some cashier in a Starbucks laughing at me when I ordered a large black coffee. To me that seemed like a simple order but I'm pretty sure the young lady with the nose ring standing on the other side of the counter thought I did it wrong because she kept asking if I wanted an americana vent something or other. All I wanted was a large cup of black coffee.
I'm pretty sure we were both speaking English but not communicating.
I'm pretty sure we were both speaking English but not communicating.
Which is why I can count on one hand the number of times I've been in a Starbucks in the last 10 years. I look up at that menu board and am at a complete loss and have no desire to learn Latin or whatever language that is. All I want is a large cup of coffee.
bagga
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one day i was sitting on the front porch when a high school kid walked by. he asked if i knew what time it was? i told him "quarter to 4" he didn't understand until i told him 3:45.
a couple of weeks ago i stopped at a local gun store. there was a "dirty harry" gun in the display case along with a long barrel colt sitting side by side. i asked to see the "dirty harry gun". he hand me the colt. i looked at it , handed it back to him and told him i wanted to see the S&W. he gave it to me to look at and i said something about dirty harry again. he told me he had no idea who or what "dirty harry" was. i told him it was an old clint eastwood movie. he never heard of it. i suggested he watch it sometime. i doubt if he did tho.
a couple of weeks ago i stopped at a local gun store. there was a "dirty harry" gun in the display case along with a long barrel colt sitting side by side. i asked to see the "dirty harry gun". he hand me the colt. i looked at it , handed it back to him and told him i wanted to see the S&W. he gave it to me to look at and i said something about dirty harry again. he told me he had no idea who or what "dirty harry" was. i told him it was an old clint eastwood movie. he never heard of it. i suggested he watch it sometime. i doubt if he did tho.
SailDesign
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We have the same issues in my job ("SailDesign" means I design sailboats...)
There re those who squint down the lengths of their noses at people who use the term "tall ship" to describe any large sailing vessel, whereas the truth is that it is a VERY specific term for a ship that crosses it top royal yards. Yeah - those.
Call the bow the "pointy end?" I know what they mean, and will respond as though they had used the correctly nautical term. Communication is what's key.
Personally, as long as the term is understandable, it's good, and the whole Starbucks' "mystique" of fancy names just keeps me away.
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Young folks got to learn sumwheres.....
Thank you for taking the time to be a teacher.
A few of us ol timers refer to our coffee as 'Leaded or Un-leaded'....
And then there's those ol time waitresses that know what's up
What Don't You Want? Waitress | Hell or High Water (2016) | 1080p HD - YouTube
.
If I'm ever addled enough to open another restaurant I want HER as my lead waitress
