What do you say when....

[JOKER96BRAVO]

I started this thread cause I walked by a man and he had a cane.
Rather than say anything I just keeped walking (as I always do).
As I passed him He said "how you doin?"
I said "fine, and you?"
He said, "Not so good....... thanks"

What do you say to something like that?

Anyone else have one of those situations that might leave you speechless?

 

[Shattered]

I started this thread cause I walked by a man and he had a cane.
Rather than say anything I just keeped walking (as I always do).
As I passed him He said "how you doin?"
I said "fine, and you?"
He said, "Not so good....... thanks"

What do you say to something like that?

Anyone else have one of those situations that might leave you speechless?

"I'm sorry.. Try to have a better day.." Smile, and keep walkin.

 

[freeandfun1]

I started this thread cause I walked by a man and he had a cane.
Rather than say anything I just keeped walking (as I always do).
As I passed him He said "how you doin?"
I said "fine, and you?"
He said, "Not so good....... thanks"

What do you say to something like that?

Anyone else have one of those situations that might leave you speechless?

Sucks to be you..... later dude! (and keep on going - he is obviously looking for a sympathetic response)

 

[Dan]

I'd probably respond with something like "okay, whatever." No sense wasting time on somebody going out of their way to get others' sympathy.

 

[Shattered]

Wow.. You guys are mean... Would it really kill you to just wish someone (even a stranger) well as you walk past, regardless of whatever ulterior motive you *think* they have?

 

[no1tovote4]

I would say, "Hope it get's better!" and keep right on walking.

 

[dmp]

if you don't care how somebody is doing, don't ask. Instead of asking 'how are you?' state 'Hello!'

If you have the desire to ask somebody 'how are you?', at least have the courtesy to ask 'oh! what's amattah?' if they respond without the cursory 'good' or 'fine'.

 

[Mr. P]

I started this thread cause I walked by a man and he had a cane.
Rather than say anything I just keeped walking (as I always do).
As I passed him He said "how you doin?"
I said "fine, and you?"
He said, "Not so good....... thanks"

What do you say to something like that?

Anyone else have one of those situations that might leave you speechless?

Ya know...You should learn this..If you don't want to know the answer, Don't ask the question.

 

[Mr. P]

if you don't care how somebody is doing, don't ask. Instead of asking 'how are you?' state 'Hello!'

If you have the desire to ask somebody 'how are you?', at least have the courtesy to ask 'oh! what's amattah?' if they respond without the cursory 'good' or 'fine'.

Exactly D! If you ask, be ready to deal with the answer.

 

[no1tovote4]

Exactly D! If you ask, be ready to deal with the answer.

I would agree if you were speaking Russian. However in American English the question "How Ya Doin'?" is simply another greeting and deserves an innocuous response unless you are in a Doctor's office. If somebody comes back with "Life Sucks!" you say some other innocuous response like, "Yah, and death blows!" or something to that effect.

If you ask somebody in Russian, "How are you feeling?" you are expecting them to tell you. If you ask "How are things?" that is the greeting question like "How are you?" in English. Different cultural areas have different responses but in American English the question "How are you doing?" is simply a greeting.

 

[dmp]

I would agree if you were speaking Russian. However in American English the question "How Ya Doin'?" is simply another greeting and deserves an innocuous response unless you are in a Doctor's office. If somebody comes back with "Life Sucks!" you say some other innocuous response like, "Yah, and death blows!" or something to that effect.

If you ask somebody in Russian, "How are you feeling?" you are expecting them to tell you. If you ask "How are things?" that is the greeting question like "How are you?" in English. Different cultural areas have different responses but in American English the question "How are you doing?" is simply a greeting.

Has it crossed your mind that it's wrong? Id Est, when somebody asks, they should be prepared to hear the answer. That's how it 'should' be. That is how I treat the greeting.

 

[Mr. P]

.... Different cultural areas have different responses but in American English the question "How are you doing?" is simply a greeting.

Not when you ask an old guy with a cain.

 

[no1tovote4]

Has it crossed your mind that it's wrong? Id Est, when somebody asks, they should be prepared to hear the answer. That's how it 'should' be. That is how I treat the greeting.

I base my response on cultural norms. In this case the old man got the expected response of an innocuous response but offered one away from the cultural norm either in the hopes of a longer conversation or just out of sheer cussedness. Now, in this case I would offer another innocuous response and move on. In the case of a friend I would offer consolation and more questions about what might be wrong etc.

 

[no1tovote4]

Not when you ask an old guy with a cain.

That may be true, but it was offered in response to the original question. It would be rude to say, "My life is great!" and move on without offering the traditional greeting in response.

 

[krisy]

I'm a sucker for old people,so I would probably say.."I'm sorry to hear that",and if he wanted to talk for a minute,I probably would talk. I may not have time,but I think sometimes old people are just lonely and in need of someone to talk too.

I had an old man do this to me in the grocery store the other day. He told me he had cancer and a couple of other medical problems. My daughter was going crazy(as usual in the grocery store),but I just listened for a few, talked a little bit and was on my way. I can't stand the though of an old man sitting home alone and not getting to talk to anyone much. Everyone complains about how rude people are these days,sometimes it's nice just to talk to be friendly.

 

[pretender]

I would just say.... ohhh I'm sorry. Hope everything is better soon, smile sympathetically and walk on.

I feel so bad for the elderly though, and I am assuming he was elderly since he was using a cane.

 

[freeandfun1]

Did anybody notice it was the old man with the cane that asked "how are you"? It wasn't Joker. When asked, instead of being RUDE, he replied "fine, and you?". It was then the old man said, "not so good". So it wasn't Joker that started the "how ya do'n" conversation.

 

[CSM]

I'd smack ya'll wid my cane...just fer the heck of it! j/k

I'm with those who would offer some words of encouragement (like, "Gee, I hope it gets better for ya!") and move on.

 

[JOKER96BRAVO]

This is cool but the point of the thread was to post more situations like
this one. Post some of those what the hell do you do or say situations.

 

[JOKER96BRAVO]

While I agree with not asking if you don't want the answer,
It's just a habit to say "and you" after someone asks me how ya doin.
Or my worst habit is when someone says
"how's it going?"
and I respond with
"how are you"
and we never say anything after that.