You have strong ties with your Mum though. The small talk is a way for you both to check in with each other.
When I started commuter cycling, I started recognising people coming the other way. There's one cyclist I pass on the hill with whom I exchange a cordial "Morning!" (at speed), and another one who doesn't acknowledge me at all. Then there used to be a lady walking briskly to work who started to smile at me, and that turned into a "Morning!" as well - I don't see her any more, I wonder if she's retired. But she has been replaced by another lady who used to scowl at me, then regard me with ambivalence, and the last time I spotted her she gave me a big smile and a "Morning!" I shall have to be nice the next time I pass her...
When I'm cycling to work at odd times I see different people - dog walkers, workers coming and going, delivery drivers and posties and so on - and some get a wave depending on how often we've seen each other.
I walk after work for me 'ealth and although it's every other day, I'm at 'nodding' with quite a few other regulars. Now I know this is called 'weak ties'
So many of the old fellows I talk to when out dog walking have dropped dead recently that I'm starting to get a complex about it!
Sorry to hear that.
Exactly where were you when these events occurred?
Exactly what I was just thinking when I was reading that!
and me.
More will come along. That's how it works.
When we used to cycle a lot on the Sustrans track here, we noticed a curious thing. The "slow bikers" could be quite rude/unfriendly - no eye contact, not returning greetings, etc. But the super serious, supposedly focussed Lycras - much more friendly. That was a bit unexpected.
Speaking as a very novice cyclist, the slow one's may be barely managing to, well, cycle. I cannot take a hand off my handle bars and can barely make eye contact.
Last week at work a bright lad of about 9 was asking constant questions of his parents, interspersed with remarks about needing the toilet.
Yesterday morning, the nice table of six people with their son of about 20 years old who's in a wheelchair ordered their breakfast from me. I asked the chef to do 20 year old's porridge first because he was going to need assistance to eat .. same thing for the young woman's 1 year old son in the high chair for the same reason so the other 4 adults would be able to eat afterwards. I'm an ex care worker (as you know) so didn't ask them about my decision and also spoke with the 20 year old who was also unable to speak. Dude's still got ears, a brain and feelings.Last week at work a bright lad of about 9 was asking constant questions of his parents, interspersed with remarks about needing the toilet.
The parents and his younger sister were clearly exhausted by him!
Hid father told me they were in the process go having him diagnosed with autism. Looked about right to me.
The mother asked me where the toilets were and the boy listened hard, then decided he wanted me to take him there.
We okayed it with the parents and set off.
Point about the toilets is that there are buttons to press both on the way and there, and Laddie likes pressing buttons.
I explained what each button did and he pressed them in turn, including the toilet buttons.
That's 'OPEN', 'OPEN', 'OPEN', 'CLOSE', 'LOCK', 'FLUSH' and 'UNLOCK'.
I bet he still remembers that sequence.
There were also the handwashing controls of course, which weren't as interesting with no buttons to press.
Felt I understood him - pressing buttons - what's not to like?
Could be abuse, or could be a clumsy transfer that went badly wrong. They should have explained themselves.
I'm going with clumsy transfer with this one atm mate .. the manager did do the afterwards approach and has in retrospect decided they should have chosen a different place to stay with sufficient facilities like a wet room etc to have avoided this situation happening at all. The 20 year old's now injured as a result, we weren't warned sufficiently about his needs by the family (bless him. He's unable to speak for himself) and also the owners of the place have to buy a new mattress and toilet seat. They had a spare boxed seat in reserve. I'm not sure yet which lessons the bosses are supposed to learn to prevent this happening again. They can't, shouldn't and won't discriminate against the disabled.
Yup, it's the family's responsibility to make sure a disabled member is catered for. Management aren't mind-readers.
We (the staff) were all upset when we realised what had happened. In the defence of his father who'd ordered the porridge on his behalf (his Mum also asked me to add some honey for the lad), Dad also was pre concerned in case the porridge might be too hot when if arrived. I'd already pre empted that without being asked by explaining the obvious needs of this lad to the chef who prepared it at a safe temp anyway. We think/hope it was a 'just one of those things' situation because of his parent's loving approach on that level.
LOL. I didn't mean "slow" so literally, just you know, non Lycras. (Not on road bikes wearing Lycra). Our cycle track has 2 tribes - one the Lycras, one the "slow cyclists" (some of which aren't slow).
As a keen and experienced cyclist I see this fast/slow divide as a way for men to deal with competitiveness.
This has just made me think about my own attitude - which, I accept, is slightly odd.
That's not 'jogging' though, that's someone trying to start jogging. Maybe with a view to be fit enough for running later on.
