Cringe & Facepalm

I just had a conversation with my boomer aged parents, where they explained that when they go to Costco, they "feel like a minority" now because of all of the "immigrants"

I feigned sympathy, and told them that it must have felt really uncomfortable feeling that way, and then asked how they feel they should be treated as a so-called "minority".

Should they have been treated with respect and dignity, and to be allowed to shop without feeling uncomfortable? Do they think they should be able to buy food and clothing without people judging them?

I wish I could capture the look on their face when they realized what I was asking of them. It frustrates me even more because they didn't raise me that way. They taught me empathy and tolerance and acceptance of others. Now they tell me "don't be so naive" This FAUX-news virus has totally corrupted their minds...or even harder to accept that maybe they had these thoughts all along. It just makes me so sad for them.

Why do boomers think they have the right to rudely inquire about one's medical conditions and demand more grandchildren?

My husband's mother ("Melanie") wants a granddaughter. Forget that I'm chronically ill and one of the meds I need to LIVE specifically states that pregnancy while taking it is highly discouraged because the meds cause major birth defects. She was not quiet in her disappointment with her grandsons and feels that my illness is fake and made up. Yes. I want to take meds that increase my chance of developing cancer because I want to.

My husband and I have two sons and we decided to stop at two because my kidney function is much more important than a granddaughter. His mom freaked out and whined about it for the longest time. Melanie would make passive aggressive remarks on social media. She once grabbed a baby girl and rubbed her on my husband as if that would impregnate him? IDK it was super creepy.

Melaniefinally stopped when I called her out and asked her why she didn't try for a daughter. She quietly stated that she tried but she couldn't get pregnant again. I am ashamed of my attitude and I should have taken the high road but I told her, "Well, I guess you failed, didn't you? I have an excuse as I'm ill. What's yours?"

Melanie hasn't mentioned having a granddaughter or at least to my face. I'm not sure if she mentions it to anyone else because I stay out of her life.

FFS!

This shit is starting to get on my nerves. I have to drive 3-5 hours a day for work. This means I'm always going to a gas pump, and I'm running into these stupid TVs more often. And, you never actually know if there's a damn TV in the screen, because it doesn't pop on until your back is turned starting the pump. All of a sudden I hear some people talking behind me and I'll whip around thinking someone snuck up on me!

Jesus Christ...This is a stupid idea. It's pointless. Nobody wants to watch a stupid TV while they're filling up gas. If you're reading this, and you had anything to do with this concept, you need to be drug out in the street and shot.

So, this happened 20 years ago, but I still think of it and laugh sometimes, so I thought I would share.

My father gor cancer in 2001. He rode a motorcycle for years. He'd just bought a new bike before the diagnosis, and he was determined to ride it as much as he could, for as long as he could. So he would ride to his chemo appointments, and on weekends when I wasn't in school, I would go with him.

The treatment center had parking spaces set aside for cancer patients at the front of the building. He rolled up one day, me on the back, and parked in said space. Just as we were getting off, an older lady (maybe mid 50s? Im unsure, I was 10 at the time) came out of her car nearby and just started RAILING at my dad. How disrespectful and disgusting it was for him to be taking that spot. How he was a terrible person, how bikers were the bane of society. He just let it slide over his back, until she started in on how he was a bad father, and how I was gonna grow up to be a piece of shit like him.

That's when he took his helmet off. And you could see his lack of eyebrows or any other hair, his gaunt cheeks, his dark eye bags. She just cut off mid rant, and her eyes got huge. He looked her in the eyes and quietly said "bikers get cancer too, you dumb twat." Took my hand, and walked away. She just stood there and spluttered.

I hope she learned something. I doubt it, but I hope so.

I think I said the words " are you sure?? " 3-4 times. She just kept saying he looks fine and to keep doing what I'm doing. His lips are visibly half white and peeling like crazy. Then she pulled out her laptop and googled thrush. Was pointing at pictures of white tongues and saying " see now that's what you need to look for " and " now you know ". I had to physically peel my son's lip up and say that's what this looks like though!! His gums and lips are covered in white. That made her eyes widen and she said " wait let me see that ". Rolled over and went " oh you're right. Let's put him on some Nystatin"... Excuse me??? You just spent 5 minutes patronizing me and slowly pointing at Google images of thrush like I'm stupid. Thanks lady.

Bonus was that the pharmacy chain I use had a complete system shutdown yesterday across the board so I can't even get his medicine till later today when it's ready.

Edit: removed a repeat sentence