I'm Not Quite Sure How To Respond

[Calamity Kris]

I was at our local Costco this evening putting gas in the car. I dropped inside to see if there was anything else I needed. Right inside the door was a display of shiny new snow shovels and bottles of concrete deicer. As they say, there's no opportunity like the present so I picked up one of each, since it's supposed to snow/sleet starting tomorrow. {Even if I don't need it this weekend, I'm sure I will use it some time this season....} At checkout, I received some funny looks from fellow customers. I explained I had just moved here from a warmer climate and didn't know what to expect. I received a couple of "You go girl, you're ready now" comments. As I was putting my shiny blue shovel in the car, a gent parked next to me was openly laughing at me. When I explained I'm new to the area and want to be prepared, he laughed even harder. He said "I guess you're ready, if you really believe them" and walked away.

 

I do realize the weather prognosticators are frequently overly cautious and overly dramatic. I also know the weather here can be really unpredictable.

 

How would you have responded to that guy?

[Branchwater Jack SASS #88854]

You're prepared. If not for this one, then the next. There will be a time it is needed.

[DocWard]

I would've shrugged my shoulders and said "We'll see. I'd rather be prepared and wrong." Life is too short to worry about naysayers like that. Like you said, you'll need it eventually.

[Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967]

You done good. FAR better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it!

[Noz]

You will find that the weather forecasters in Missouri tend to act like newspeople and attempt to blow each storm into the storm of the century and hope that in this case they are right.

[Matthew Duncan]

It is better to have a snow shovel and not need it then to need one and not have one.

[Dusty Balz, SASS#46599]

STFU or I'll jam this shovel up you a$$ That's what I'd say

[Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967]

STFU or I'll jam this shovel up you a$$ That's what I'd say

 

[Branchwater Jack SASS #88854]

I was trying to avoid that, Dusty. But at least you didn't threaten to shove it up in there sideways!

[Grizzly Dave]

Those people are just plain RUDE.

 

You should have asked that guy, "I'm going to bury my rude neighbor in the snow later this winter, do you think this shovel is big enough?'

 

or maybe "I just moved here from California, is this shovel big enough to shovel scattered flurries?"

 

Rude people SUCK, makes me mad just hearing about them being rude to you.

 

edit to add - I think Dusty hit on what I really wanted to say.

[Virgil Ray Hality, SASS# 37355]

I would have pointed asked what was so funny? Make the fool explain himself. Suddenly, the funny goes away real fast.

[Utah Bob #35998]

If the store didn't think they'd sell em, they wouldn't have em.

Maybe it was just Jerk Thursday at Costco. Usually comes right after Black Friday.

As far as responding....I wouldn't bother.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

Why respond at all?

LG

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

The only error in your ways, Darlin'. You got a BLUE snowshovel, not a RED one.

[Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001]

just give em a good solid WHACK upside the head

 

that'll learn em

 

CB

[Earl Brasse, SASS #3562]

Ah, yes, the joys of dealing with the great unwashed.

 

It is a pity but true,

 

Rude people suck.

It is hard to win an argument with an idiot.

When proved wrong, put down in turn by a similar comment or corrected they can become mad (or violent).

They really are just not worth the time.

 

When asked a question, it is hard to just ignore them sometimes.

 

Of course you can always just make something up...

 

I'm buying it for a gag gift for the office party.

 

It's for my friend,

 

Funny thing is, if you came out carrying a newly purchased ax, nobody would probably say anything, even if there wasn't a tree in sight.

 

 

Just smile, it's the season.

 

Merry Christmas!

[Marlin Buckhorn,SASS 51727]

Just tell them "Bought them for insurance!" If you don't have them it will snow & sleet. If you do have them it will be sunny and 65.

 

Marlin(Who has suffered Midwest winters for way too long!)Buckhorn

[Gunner Gatlin, SASS 10274L]

Why respond at all?

LG

Give this man a cigar...

 

GG ~

[Billy Bristol]

They are a gift for someone in Montana.

[Boon Doggle]

Montana, hell. Looks like it could be put to good use in Dallas.

[J-BAR #18287]

If buying a snow shovel will keep the snow from falling, then it's a wonderful investment!

 

 

....It's kinda like washing your car during a drought, hoping to get it to rain....

[Chantry]

Give them a big smile and say "If it doesn't snow, I can always use to smack the next person who makes a stupid remark" and walk away

 

Or "I need it to pick up my dog's execrement"

[Seldom Seen #16162]

I live a few hundred miles to west of you and most of us cast a "oh hum" attitude about the winter weather as more often than not it runs out of gas before it gets here. Although last year we did get a couple of big blizzards that shut things down for a day or two.

 

Your biggest hazard is not the snow as snow is actually easy to drive on. Your biggest danger is ICE. Driving on ice is extremely hazardous as stopping distances are greatly increased along steering. Typically here we get ice first then the snow. So the highway and street crews scrape off the snow leaving us to drive on a layer of solid ice. Ah tax dollars at work.

 

My suggestion is pay attention to the forecasts for sleet and ice. Watch your local morning news as it doesn't take much to make the roads really slick. Even if you feel confident about being able to drive on icy roads the other guy might not be able to. It is often best to stay home and get out later in the day after the roads start melting.

 

Oh be a little less sensitive and in a couple of years you will be laughing at the forecasts also.

 

Coming from someone whose current weather is 17 degrees (wind chill of -3), forecasted snow and ice has not showed up but the weathermen here don't give up easy they are forecasting snow for Saturday now.

[Guest Kid Sopris, Regulator, #3290]

I suppose he doesn't need any "Charmin" until it's too late...

[Mean Matt McCord, SASS #24683]

STFU or I'll jam this shovel up you a$$ That's what I'd say

Ladies and gentiemen, Dusty wins the Comedy Relief award for the day!

[Rye Miles #13621]

A good response is always," Whatever dude"!! Rye

[Michigan Slim]

You might just see that hombre parked funny in a ditch. Remember, lights on when the weather turns, slow down, no tailgating and please PUT DOWN THE PHONE. Do all that and your good to go.

Just some of my pet peeves there. LOl I plow snow at my facilities and get to see it all.

 

Michigan (BE SAFE) Slim

[Cypress Sun]

The de-icer helps organic material decompose in frozen ground. Show shovels make it quicker to fill in the hole............would you like to know about my .45?

[Blackwater 53393]

I would simply direct their attention to the missletoe attached to my shirt tail!!

[Suakfox]

I'll do the thinnin around here Baba Louie!This is a job for EL~KAAAABOOONG!!!!!!!! KABONG!!!!!!!!!!

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

If you were a guy you could go over and pee on his fender.

[Virgil Ray Hality, SASS# 37355]

I would simply direct their attention to the missletoe attached to my shirt tail!!

 

That was funny! And, that idea has other possibilities too!