h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I was cleaning windows in town today. A bit blustery and rainy, but there were nice patches. Not a bad day, on the whole. My last job of the day was a filling station on the edge of town. From there I was to walk home.

So, I was cleaning the outside of the "Out" door when a little boy, about seven years old, with bright red hair, pushed it open to leave the shop. I stepped back to let him through with a cheery "Hiya!" I always greet kids. Why not? And they usually say hi back. Not this chappie, though.

He was followed by a young man, who seemed to be muttering something at me.

"Pardon?" I said.

He kept walking, throwing the words back over his shoulder. "Do you know him?"

"Er, ... no."

"Then don't talk to him."

And they were gone.


TRiG.

Traveller in Time on his head
"The dad probably had a bad day .

Some time ago I was parking the car near the shopping center, some kids run out of a just parked car, all scattering over the road and empty parking spots. I wait for them to leave the empty spot and park my car, one of them complaints to his father; 'that car nearly ran over me !' his father while he knew I could hear him: 'that man must be bind or something.'

Dont blame bad manners on the kids, it is their parent knotted up in themself to blame for them. "

I said "hiya" to a child yesterday, and thought immediately afterwards, a time will come when people will look at me suspiciously for talking to children.

Keep up the good work, TriG. Just because some people are rude doesn't mean we have to be.

I think I might have been tempted to question the father's parenting skills and the example he was setting the boy.

Unless the father was bigger than me.

Hello
Gnomon, yes, this rudeness must be rooted in fear and suspicion, sadly.
Are people that scared because of the few cases of child abuse they know of?

Sorry about that, TRiG. I consider it being polite to say hi, and that's what I've tried teaching my boys.

One of the truly wonderful things about Ireland is that people you have never met before and will never meet again greet you like a long-lost friend. Sometimes (much to the horror of an American lady I was with)they even buy you a drink, just for the pleasure of your conversation. Keep up the good work, lads. Don't let a few idiots put you off.

I did think of saying something along the lines of, "So you want your kid to grow up with no social skills, do you?" But they were gone by then. And besides, the father was bigger than I am.

TRiG.

We had a great time in Ireland two years ago and we're sure to go back. We found people of all ages to be very friendly. Out of the hundreds of folks we met during our 2 weeks only one solitary man got our backs up, a suspicious shifty looking farmer in Dingle.

So my romantic picture of beautiful Ireland was true to life, after all

You'll be warmin up for Patrick's Day, oh you lucky people!

I'm going to London for Patrick's Day. My nephew is getting married.

Doubles all round, then? Sliante! (or summat like that)