I walk 3 MILES every day!

[WishfulSpirit]

We walked home from my grandma's house after a blizzard had hit in the the middle of the night. It wasn't far, but for a 7 year old, it sure was an adventure. Note we weren't walking WHILE the blizzard was going on (that could actually have been dangerous), but after it had stopped but before the streets were passable by vehicle.

[notalwaysright]

But everyone else thought I was crazy, don't I know how DANGEROUS that was? How STUPID it was? How POINTLESS it was!? How SORRY I'd be when I woke up the next morning full of aches and blisters (I didn't)

They were almost offended on a fundamental personal level that I chose to walk somewhere.....

lol, people act like that here, too. And we're in super hippie land, so I'm always a bit baffled by the reaction. My work is in a shopping center which also has a big box discount store. (every year I expect it will close, but it keeps holding on) Anyway, I often suggest that store might carry something we don't, and if I DARE to say, "you could walk over to *other store*" they are like ! At no point do you cross traffic, in fact you are just walking in front of a few other stores, it is all actually one giant building. But walking is not even thought of. I now say "you could go over" instead.

I remember when I was little my mom's car broke down. Same situation as Arga, nobody lived near us, no bus service, I think the nearest cab company was over in Tacoma, across the Narrows Bridge about 30 minutes away. So in the morning my mom and I walked to the school bus, that took nearly half and hour, then my mom kept walking to work. It was only about 4 miles, but it has a big hill. In the afternoon the bus dropped me at my mom's work in town like it normally did. When she was off we walked home. The hill was a little unpleasant, (according to google maps, the road goes up about 350 feet over about a mile and a half) but it was doable. People kept asking my mom how she got home, and they were like "You walked! With your kid?! I would have called in sick rather than walk!" My mom could have because she was full time with sick leave available, but it didn't occur to her.

[Argabarga]

Sounds like my co-workers. Shooting the breeze before a meeting began, one was whining about having to walk three blocks to our building from a parking lot nearby because the reserved lot directly across the street had no vacancies.

I let her ramble on for a bit before I stated that I had walked four miles to get to work that day because my bike's tires were both flat, I was out of replacement tubes, and I was too late to catch the bus. I sure killed that conversation.

I had an unexpected accident one day on the way to work (clobbered a deer) that put my car out of commission.

When work ended for the day, I walked home. Yes, it was a bit of a hike (12 miles) but, the weather wasn't bad, I had nothing planned, and no other way to really get there (I live alone, the busses don't go out that far, and it would've been an expensive cab bill) so why not?

Without exception, when everyone asked how I got home that day, and I explained I had walked, they were shocked, aghast, nearly apoplectic that I had WALKED home DOUBLE-DIGIT miles. And let me point out that I'm NOT an athletic person, I'm flat-footed, obese, and suffer from hypertension, it WAS quite a haul, but I considered it a moral victory at the end of the day.

But everyone else thought I was crazy, don't I know how DANGEROUS that was? How STUPID it was? How POINTLESS it was!? How SORRY I'd be when I woke up the next morning full of aches and blisters (I didn't)

They were almost offended on a fundamental personal level that I chose to walk somewhere.....

[mhkohne]

It amazes me how MANY people drive to my store and then come up to my register with alcohol. When I ask for ID, they *don't have it*.

Really? And you drove here? Do you really think I'm going to let you get that beer then? Oh and by the way .... what will you tell the cops who stop you for speeding/driving drunk/running a red light/whatever? You DON'T have your license?????

Good luck with that :-D

You know, at the rates this happens, the cops ought to set up outside and nab anyone without id for driving without a license. I think that's a fine in most places, might be a nice source of income.

[earl colby pottinger]

More interesting

It amazes me how MANY people drive to my store and then come up to my register with alcohol. When I ask for ID, they *don't have it*.

Really? And you drove here? Do you really think I'm going to let you get that beer then? Oh and by the way .... what will you tell the cops who stop you for speeding/driving drunk/running a red light/whatever? You DON'T have your license?????

Good luck with that :-D

What if they mention to the police after being pulled over for DUI that they had no problem getting alcohol from you without ID, so why is the the police giving them a hassle for not having it?

Worse if this happened after an accident. So many reasons not to sell them booze.

[HawaiianShirts]

When I worked for Major Electronics Retailer, I had one of those customers. He actually wanted me to sell him a full desktop computer package (and this was back when CRT monitors were still the standard, so he'd end up with three big boxes, minimum). He had no car, but he planned to carry it all home himself. And pay later. Must have spent 20 minutes all but begging me to let him take the stuff home that night and then come back to pay for it the next day. No IOU; no credit card; just his word that he'd come back.

He was genuinely surprised and disappointed that I declined his generous offer.

Well, you know, when you have a car, WALKIN' is for CHUMPS!

Sounds like my co-workers. Shooting the breeze before a meeting began, one was whining about having to walk three blocks to our building from a parking lot nearby because the reserved lot directly across the street had no vacancies. (For most lots nearby, you register with the owner and pay a monthly fee for a permit. No permit, you get a visit from our equivalent of Argabarga.) She complained that walking three blocks was too much to expect of an employee, and that $60 a month for parking is too expensive. She lives less than two miles away.

I let her ramble on for a bit before I stated that I had walked four miles to get to work that day because my bike's tires were both flat, I was out of replacement tubes, and I was too late to catch the bus. I sure killed that conversation.

[Argabarga]

The number of people who get towed for parking illegally someplace where they easily could have walked to and left their car where it (legally) was is mind-boggling.

I'm talking two blocks

Sometimes less

Sometimes you can SEE the parking spot they SHOULD be in from where they ended up.

Well, you know, when you have a car, WALKIN' is for CHUMPS!

[Shaman]

It amazes me how MANY people drive to my store and then come up to my register with alcohol. When I ask for ID, they *don't have it*.

Really? And you drove here? Do you really think I'm going to let you get that beer then? Oh and by the way .... what will you tell the cops who stop you for speeding/driving drunk/running a red light/whatever? You DON'T have your license?????

Good luck with that :-D

This happens soo much. I really want to get smart about it. Once we just had a kid straight up run out when asked.

[Teefies2]

It amazes me how MANY people drive to my store and then come up to my register with alcohol. When I ask for ID, they *don't have it*.

Really? And you drove here? Do you really think I'm going to let you get that beer then? Oh and by the way .... what will you tell the cops who stop you for speeding/driving drunk/running a red light/whatever? You DON'T have your license?????

Good luck with that :-D

[WishfulSpirit]

I've noticed folk visiting New York sometimes pull crap like this too, specially if they're not used to walking everywhere. It's fun watching them complain about how many miles they've walked to get somewhere, only to reveal they've gone maybe a few blocks at the most.

Reminds me of Cali. I asked a college buddy to help me out by picking up my car from the mechanic. Our campus was TINY and the mechanic was literally less than two blocks away. She said "but how do I get my car home then?" The idea of walking two blocks had literally not occurred to her.

[Shaman]

Congrats to your aunt! Glad to hear about her recovery!

Yeah I mean since he was a regular I knew he would get us back. But its just really u forgot ur wallet? The item that has money in it?

Btw have you guys heard this before? I guess its a ploy that really worked on previous owners of the store. Another customer once came in and was mad drunk and did a Homer Simpson style "D'ohh I FORGOT MY WALLET! AHH MAN! (loudly)."

I didnt fall for it back then. Personally I hate letting people off unless they are on the hook for less than 50 cents. Thats no biggy. But more than that - its called financial planning. Do it.

[MoonCat]

Scammer! You know he planned that out. Good for you for not falling for it.

Re: Walking. My CW's aunt walks 4 miles every day. Two miles to town from her house, two miles back.

She's 83.

This habit is probably one reason why she recovered extremely well from breast cancer surgery recently.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

6 miles (since he lives 3 miles away) round trip in 5 minutes? Don't bother with the Olympics - he's obviously a cheetah, and will wind up testing positive for beeroids.

That must have been the young guy who came in this morning to the store and asked me if we carried the at home drug tests.

I suggested he try a drugstore for something of that nature. Crazy thought, I'm sure.

[wolfie]

Me: Ah you walk right? We can wait. The beer will be here COLD too! How far could it be?

SC: Uhh 3 MILES!

Me: (actually shocked) You walk 3 MILES everyday?

SC: (Completely falls apart with his rationale). Uhh. (Just leaves).

He comes back 5 minutes later with wallet. The guy can run! Call the Olympics!

6 miles (since he lives 3 miles away) round trip in 5 minutes? Don't bother with the Olympics - he's obviously a cheetah, and will wind up testing positive for beeroids.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

I've noticed folk visiting New York sometimes pull crap like this too, specially if they're not used to walking everywhere. It's fun watching them complain about how many miles they've walked to get somewhere, only to reveal they've gone maybe a few blocks at the most.

Kinda reminds me of these kids who were busted stealing candy at one of the old stores I worked at years ago.

Got busted really good trying to give several different answers to the same question - to an off duty police detective at that.

So which is it, kid? It can't be both ways. That's not logical or possible.