Older people can be very irritating. While driving, for example, I have noticed that they are slower on the road. This especially when you are behind one of them, and in a hurry. During night driving, some of them do not dim their headlights as they approach you. At intersections, they may pause and wait for you to proceed, while you are angrily motioning for them to proceed. This also usually occurs when you are in a hurry.
In the grocery store with your shopping cart, you will invariably get behind one of them. You will attempt to pass, thinking surely they can see you out of the corner of their eye, but they don’t. It’s as if they saw you coming into the store, and now are intentionally blocking your way, preventing you from getting around them. How rude.
Another thing older people do is needlessly apologize when they have done nothing wrong. In the checkout line when you accidentally bump into one of them, they will apologize. At the gas station, when you inadvertently cut one of them off, they will take the blame, and probably say they are sorry. When there is some kind of problem with a clerk or salesperson, they will invariably act as though they have misunderstood, and it’s their fault. They are entirely too quick to apologize at accidents. I suppose they have never learned that it is not a good idea to apologize to other people, and expose yourself to lawsuits.
Old people get upset about problems in society. When laws are passed which are immoral, or when politicians lie, when the economy takes a nosedive, they actually take it seriously. They have not learned to get over it and roll with the punches. When a grandchild is getting a divorce, or a neighbor falls into legal trouble, they will not ignore it. They will ask questions about it, make a big deal of it, and act like it is really serious. Don’t they realize that these things happen all the time? Irritating old people need to just lighten up—but they won’t.
It irritates me that older people are entirely too careless with their credit cards and personal identifying information. They are too trusting. I have seen them actually say their credit card number, or Social Security number out loud. Some of them actually let the waitress fill in their credit card receipt! They accept phone calls from numbers they do not recognize. They often carry cash. They insist on paying bills on time, maybe even a little early.
Another irritating thing about old people is their tendency to be stuck in old habits and practices of the past. They insist on sending thank-you cards! I mean, who does that? They refuse to text or Facebook very often, and insist on face-to-face conversations. Who has time for that? They take forever to make a point. They listen to annoying music which most people don’t even recognize anymore. I could go on and on about this.
Old people seem to always have a Bible scripture ready for every situation. This is really irritating! Instead of saying something helpful, they want to keep going back to the Bible, and things they learned years ago. Who really cares about these? It makes it hard to have a conversation, because they seem to be speaking a foreign language all the time.
I think the thing that irritates me the most about old people is their absolute refusal to change. They talk about “the good old days” and like to share memories of yesteryears. They like to live in the past. Maybe one of these days they will realize that times change, and it’s time to forget the past and move forward.
Older people have a silly habit of standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. Older men remove their hats. Even though the president is a farce, they treat him with respect. They remember important events of American history, like the Depression, WWII, and they waste their time watching the news with a sense of hope and concern—as though they could do anything about it. They actually vote, and think their opinion still matters. If you have time, they will sit and discuss these matters at length, but who can spare the time? These are some of the many irritating things about old people.If you totally disagree with the above, good for you! The Bible still says respect your elders, “You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God: I am the Lord,” (Lev. 19:32). —RCV
-by Robert C. Veil, Jr.
