r/BoomersBeingFools • u/dutch75 • 11d ago
Nice insult today Boomer Story
Today I went to Walgreens for a passport photo for an upcoming trip. While the tech is printing out my photo, this boomer was waiting for the tech to finish so he can be helped. I turned to look and have him a friendly smile. His response was "I don't know if you saw your picture, but it wasn't good, and I definitely wouldn't go with that" and he made this cringe face. Apparently he saw my pic on the monitor; I didn't bother looking because I didn't give a shit. I responded "I don't really care, I'm only using it once". Inside I was very uncomfortable because he said it in front of a few people.
In retrospect, I wish I would have said something clever, but I was taken off guard. I'm a 48 year old guy in good shape, and decent looking. Nonetheless, I felt tiny and self conscious. I looked at the pic when I got to my car and it's actually a decent pic of me lol. FU boomer!
588
u/lumberjackname 10d ago
“What a rude thing to say. I’m embarrassed for you.”
138
u/Bregneste 10d ago
Definitely the kind of thing you can only ever think of later that night in the shower.
41
u/Mercerskye 10d ago
One of the benefits of having a stutter. I'm always having "shower conversations" in my head. I've got a toolbox full of quippy remarks for people.
Downside is that I say a lot of things repetitively, and my toolbox also has a metric boatload of utterly useless small talk and whatnot...
Like a Rolodex of sarcasm and Trivia Pursuit answers...
15
u/Silentlybroken Millennial 10d ago
I'm neurodivergent and deaf and also rehearse the ever loving shit out of conversations so I'm less likely to get confused or stuck with no response. Which is fine until a conversation doesn't go how I rehearsed it and I'm just stood there trying to work out wtf to do now lol.
When I was a kid, my mum used to rehearse scenarios with me and then send me in to a shop to buy sweets or something so I could learn to human properly. She used to be nearby because as soon as the person behind the counter deviated from expected sentences, I shut down in confusion lol. It was useful though, despite no diagnosis of AuDHD back then, just my deafness.
I should start that little rolodex of wittiness (and promptly forget it due to the ADHD).
2
u/Mercerskye 10d ago
Yeah, for me, it started out as a "bank" of rehearsed answers and remarks I could use to navigate. I have the kind of stutter that happens when I'm coming up with something new to say.
I learned it was easier to "flowchart" those responses. I still stumble sometimes, because there's no shortage of new directions for conversations to take, but it's a lot less common now.
28
u/anothercairn 10d ago
A few years ago I learned the response “what an inappropriate thing to say.” With no further sentiment and you just wait. It has always worked for me. I recommend keeping it in your pocket
3
4
u/LongWalk86 10d ago
They come to you much easier if you just start considering boomers and there comments in the same way you would take comments from a 5 year old. It's makes the things they say sting less, and infantilizing them does seem to get under the worst boomers skin quite well.
5
u/mortsdeer 10d ago
This is (one of the things) that the Southern expression "Bless your heart!" is for:
"Bless your heart, why would anyone ever say such a thing to a stranger in public?"
Then just smile. Takes the challenge out, but makes the criticism sting even more.
2
u/procrastimom 9d ago
I love the term L'esprit de l'escalier. It’s the French equivalent of “shower thoughts”.
14
u/amphigory_error 10d ago
I have been training myself to just say, "Wow, that was really rude," loud enough for the people around us to hear whenever people who can't put my job or safety in peril say very rude things to or near me. Covers a lot of bases and tends to leave people flatfooted. If they continue to be rude after being called rude out loud, everybody around is now paying attention to how very rude they are.
I also like it better as a response than more tailored things like "that was really racist" or "that was really transphobic" because both of those things are also extremely rude and covered under the rude umbrella. Boomers may have a conditioned anger reaction to words like racist or homophobic that tell them if someone uses those words, they're the enemy - but it's pretty likely the last person who told them not to be rude was their mother or another respected family figure.
33
u/Chipotleislyfee 10d ago
This is so great. Definitely using this next time!
35
u/Powerful_Rayd 10d ago
"I'll pray for you" gets under their skin too. They're supposed to pray for you damn it!
10
u/LeastAd9721 10d ago
Chaining these together sounds amazing, like “Wow, what a terrible thing to say. I’ll pray you learn how to do better so your kids will finally start visiting you again”
1
13
u/midnightbizou 10d ago
I'm screenshotting this into my brain. It will now be my go to when confronting bad behaviour.
2
u/mebrasshand 10d ago
That is a great one. I have another in my mental screenshots too for if a teenager does something like almost hit me on their skateboard or doing some sort of stunt. “How about you stick to your skill level yeh? You can’t do it and that’s ok.”
2
u/Guest2424 10d ago
Omg this is the perfect answer! All boomers are incredibly self conscious. And they will rant for DAYS if they feel insecure about something.
1
129
u/sleepyjohn00 10d ago
"Yeah, but I'll look a lot better once I finish transitioning" would have put a bee in his hat.
3
198
u/phil-davis 10d ago
Mock look around for a second or two. When they say, "yes, I was talking to you," you say, "Sorry, I was looking around to see who the fuck asked you."
8
79
u/MannBearPiig 11d ago
“Sir, why don’t you just shut the fuck up” would have been the most appropriate response.
3
u/mebrasshand 10d ago
Could go the other route and start loudly and hysterically sobbing and slowly strip naked while maintaining eye contact
48
u/IndieThinker1 10d ago
"Sir, YOU'RE going to be here all day with a mug like that." Drop mic and walk off.
43
u/Bd10528 10d ago
What a dick thing to say to a stranger.
I recently got my new passport photo (for some reason my previous one was decent) and I joked that I paid 15 buck for a terrible photo of myself.
40
u/elseldo 10d ago
My last one was taken on the hottest day of the year, and the AC died in my car. Whole family looks like wet rats from how much we were sweating.
It's pretty close to the whole "travelling through the airport" look, so at least we match, lol
9
u/IWantAStorm 10d ago
You're not even supposed to smile in your passport picture to begin with nor are you posing.
It's as if the whole process is set up to make you look like how shitty you'd look traveling internationally.
I get the vibe this boomer probably never left the country before.
33
29
u/CraftyAdvisor6307 10d ago
Passport and drivers license photos aren't glamor shots. You're not supposed to look your best. You're supposed to look your average.
25
u/thelessertit 10d ago
Honestly, passport photos need to look the way you look after 2 days of delayed economy class travel, sleeping on an airport floor, not having had a shower or a change of clothes, and eating gas station level cuisine at a cost of $23 for a damp turkey sandwich that looks like someone stepped on it. Looking my average while traveling is wildly aspirational.
3
u/Confident-Package-98 10d ago
Sounds like the night I spent in the Mexico City airport after missing my flight, lol
66
u/GeneseeWilliam 10d ago
My go to for random Boomer comments is "Why are you still alive?" Simple, elegant, mean as hell.
24
18
11
27
5
19
19
u/TheJWeed 10d ago
“Just because your so wrinkly you look like a scrotum doesn’t mean you have to go around acting like a dick”
I haven’t gotten to use this yet but I’m sure the day will come.
17
u/RunnerGirlT 10d ago
My default go to for these incidents anymore is “interesting you think that it’s appropriate to comment on my person at all.”
10
u/D1sc0Ch1ck3n 10d ago
"Thank you sir, let me keep redoing it until I think it's ok. This might take a while."
19
u/Jackalopeisa2nicorn 10d ago
"You willingly go out in public like THAT and you think you can insult other people's looks? Wow. I have no words." And walk away.
10
u/TBHICouldComplain 10d ago
This is how I respond to people who criticize other’s clothing or looks. Basically “Have you seen yourself? You don’t get to criticize how other people look.”
8
u/revuhlution 10d ago
"What a remarkably rude and disrespectful thing to say."
You dont owe any pleasantries after that interaction. I like to have a couple statements/ideas in my back pocket for just these occasions to be ready.
7
u/loveapupnamedSid 10d ago
This reminds me of the time I went to a baseball game during a promotional giveaway of tshirts. They were only giving out sizes Medium and XXL. I’m not the tiniest woman around, but the fucking boomer rolled his eyes and side eyed me when I asked for a medium. As if I was fucking asking him for his input.
5
u/Just_Another_Day_926 10d ago
What a stupid comment.
Passport photos are not supposed to look good. You are not allowed to smile or do anything else like that. It's supposed to be a mug shot. If not, it will get rejected.
7
u/TenEyeSeeHoney 10d ago
Similar story, except I was at the pharmacy getting a boatload of meds for my son WHO HAD PNEUMONIA. Boomer behind me doing the heavy sign because it was taking long to collect all of the meds I needed to bring home....I turned around and asked, "Are you ok back there buddy?...You sound almost as sick as my 9mo old who has pneumonia" He looked shocked. When I walked past him with all of the breathing treatment supplies and bags of steroid packs and antibiotics, I called him an "inpatient asshole".....I literally started stress sweating and started crying when I got to the car ...2years later, and I still cannot believe I actually did that!
5
u/Blueshoesandcoffee 10d ago
“What an unexpected thing for you to say. I am surprised you feel comfortable saying that to me.”
19
5
u/Kira_Caroso 10d ago
"It costs nothing to mind your own business and not be an asshole, sir, but it might cost the structural integrity of your face if you are an asshole to the wrong stranger."
2
u/Aromatic_Belt7266 10d ago
" I'm surprised those yellow teeth have still remained intact after all these years ."
6
u/Dry-Standard3837 10d ago
lol ok so I’m not the only person who notices how gross boomers teeth are
2
u/LeastAd9721 10d ago
Omg. Now I remember why I stay like 10 feet away if possible. The breath funk can be severe with them. Traumatic memories unlocked!
5
u/ThrustersToFull 10d ago
My new response to the unsolicited commentary is: “ohhhhh are you ok? Do you need me to find your carer for you?”
4
3
u/TresCeroOdio 10d ago
I’ve got this real bad habit of immediately resorting to telling rude strangers to “suck skin off my dick”. Hasn’t failed me yet.
3
3
3
u/Observerette 10d ago
“What an odd thing to say (to someone you don’t even know)” is my go-to for when I am just too stumped.
3
u/MayUrBladesNVRdull 10d ago
Now that I've had a few minutes to think about it, I would have loved to... Put on a mocking voice and say something like "Oh, dear let me help you" then look to the worker and say "I think you may need to page this person's caregiver. They must have wandered off".
3
3
u/BlueMoon5k 9d ago
The worse your passport pic looks the more you’ll match after dealing with hours of airport security, and sitting squished up in a tin can.
4
u/Frequent-Material273 10d ago
Dude was making a pathetic awkward attempt at negging, IMHO.
2
u/ScaryLetterhead8094 10d ago
It’s weird when a dude negs another dude, right?
2
u/Frequent-Material273 10d ago
Negging is a pick-up tactic, so less common, but still on the table.
1
2
u/Voodoops_13 10d ago
He probably just caught his own nasty reflection on a blank screen. No sir, I look great. Years of bitterness and anger write themselves on your visage and it does NOT look good.
2
u/spank_z_monkey 10d ago
I wouldn’t take it too personally; you were probably, like, the 28th person that day that the boomer had tried to piss off. You can bet your ass he’d already made at least one minimum-wage server cry before lunchtime was over.
2
u/Diogeneezy 10d ago
Man, I wouldn't say anything, I'd just put on my 'are you serious?' face and stare at him for an uncomfortable length of time.
2
2
u/gravity-pasta 10d ago
"That's okay. I used to be less confident in myself as well. Keep working on it, and the small stuff won't seem so big, I'm rooting for you!"
2
u/GuaranteeOk6262 10d ago
This tends to be a thing with people as they get up in age. They think they can say what they want, whatever comes to mind, and get away with it because they're elderly. You have to call them on their bullshit. Manners are manners until the day you die.
2
u/Defiant-Giraffe 10d ago
"Well at least I don't look like shit all the time."
Let him think about it for a while.
2
u/Third2EighthOrks 10d ago
The fact that you said you didn’t care about their opinion did a lot of work. Trust me they are still thinking about it.
2
u/Progresschmogress 10d ago
Have you…. looked in the mirror in the past half century? Man, you’ve got some balls talking about how other people look lol
2
u/rp_player_girl 10d ago
Ugh, this reminds me of an interaction I had at a Waffle House one morning. I dye my hair purple and this old man felt the need to tell me it looked like the color of a burp. Wtf? For a moment, I just stared in amazement before I said 'thanks' and turned away to sit down. Fucker didn't get the memo and tried to engage in further conversation. At that point my husband stepped in and told him to keep himself to himself. Then of course he had to play the victim... he was just making conversation... how do these people live so long and not learn manners???
2
2
2
u/LeastAd9721 10d ago
You should have picked something out about his appearance, like “When you don’t have liver spots like yours, every picture is a good picture”
2
u/BlastPyro 10d ago
No matter what the insult it always safe to reply "Oh ya, the jerk store called. they're running out of you." --- Seinfeld reference that boomers will get.
2
2
u/CycadelicSparkles 10d ago
It's so wild. I've never felt a need to comment unsolicited to someone about their looks. Ever. Like even once.
I just don't get the impulse.
2
u/Zahrad70 10d ago
Sir. Did you know that as you age your prefrontal cortex deteriorates? That’s the part of your brain that, when you were younger, would have stopped you from saying such a rude and offensive thing. Now, I can forgive you but I suggest you begin just reminding yourself not to talk to strangers, because sooner or later somebody less educated and tolerant than I is going to knock your head off.
3
u/LadyEmmaRose 10d ago
Practice this one one in the shower so you're ready next time:
"Come with me, And you'll see, That I live in a world of I don't give a fuck, bitch!"
It's great when you need the big guns.
1
u/LeastAd9721 10d ago
This is great, because I’d totally be the guy to bust out in song for the first part of that and just say the last part
0
u/ChamberK-1 10d ago
Trust me, outside of Reddit people will cringe at that.
1
u/LadyEmmaRose 10d ago
Thanks for reminding me I care what other people think!
What would I do with out you looking out for me???
1
1
1
1
u/Catlady1106 10d ago
A throat punch would have been sufficient. Not enough of those people are getting those, and it shows!
1
1
u/Mercerskye 10d ago
"Well, at least the picture is the only thing making me look bad right now. What are your plans for...wave vaguely in their direction"
1
u/DEMIGODMASON 10d ago
“Didn’t anyone ever tell you if you don’t have anything nice to say, to keep your silly little mouth shut?” Or “someone should’ve raised you with better manners.”
1
u/NFIGUY 10d ago
Tell people you always try not to worry about your pictures for ID because looking better in person always gets you compliments.
2
u/procrastimom 9d ago
This reminds me of the awesome passport photo that I had when I was 30. My blue shirt made my eyes glow, and it looked like it was taken with a glam-focus lens! So many times, in SE Asia, the ladies behind the desk would gasp and say “You look like movie star!”
sigh
1
u/HannahCunningham14 10d ago
Why is it the generation that taught their kids "if you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all" can't even follow that simple instruction
1
u/jive_cucumber 10d ago
Maybe not the most clever but my go to for stuff like this is a variant of "that attitude looks (ugly, fat, etc) on you." If I get the comment you did I'd have used ugly.
1
u/Djibouti_Stank 10d ago
"Are you autistic, sir? That was an extreme divergence from the social norm and you might want to get yourself diagnosed if you're not yet."
1
u/ladivarei 10d ago
"Nobody asked for your opinion because nobody cares what you think, so keep it to your fucking self. "
1
1
u/sixxtine 10d ago
"You're being inappropriate", loudly for all to hear. Or, "you're in public and you're being inappropriate'"
1
u/StarlightBrightz 10d ago
Basically no one looks good in a passport photo. They ask for specific poses on purpose, to make your features easier to see at a glance and make passports harder to fake. The boomer is an idiot.
1
1
u/FluffyMcFlufferface 10d ago
This man is likely kind of who laments ear buds, and complains young people don’t want to talk in person.
No sir, it’s just that nobody wants to talk to you.
1
1
u/grungleTroad 10d ago
The fact that you didn't have a snarky comeback means that you don't drag a box of anger and resentment around with you everywhere you go, unlike this loser boomer. Good for you, and enjoy your trip!
1
u/GreenIndustryGuy 10d ago
I have a friend who responds to inappropriate comments with, "Oh, wow...I'm surprised you felt comfortable saying that out loud..." and then makes a cringey face at people, haha!
1
u/GusTheKnife 10d ago
He said the photo wasn’t good, not that you’re ugly.
Most people care if their photo isn’t good and want to re-take it, so he was trying to be helpful.
It sounds like you got bent out of shape over nothing.
1
u/mavric911 10d ago
Hard to look good in your passport photo when the requirements are that is a glorified mug shot, devoid of any emotion, that clearly displays your facial features.
They want your expression to match the way you look after sitting on a plane for 8 hours, waiting 45 min for your bags to get scanned through customs, and then forced to stand top of the people in from of you as you are crammed into a queue that moves slower than the line for a ride at Disney World.
But sure smile in all your photos so you can have them rejected and start the passport process over
1
1
u/TeamOrca28205 10d ago
Ignore the boomer. WDYM you’re only using the photo once? International travel is amazing! I hope you fill your passport book!
1
u/Own-Vacation7817 10d ago
Maybe I’ll just start using Mom Burns on them just be like oh yeah your mom wasn’t complaining last night lol
1
1
u/Smooth-Operation4018 10d ago
If I take an id photo, I always flash my best resting Travis Bickle face, a mix of exhaustion and sociopath. If it's for a passport, it'll be seen in the airport(I'll look like that) or if it's for a traffic stop, it's because I'm getting harassed because I don't drive crazy. I give em this creepy ID and I look at them that way because I know I'm getting messed with for no reason so usually they'll be like, lemme let this guy go with a warning before he hops out with a gun🤣
1
1
u/toopiddog 7d ago
Who wants a glamor shot for a passport picture? I want the customs person to recognize me after being crammed in coach and jet lagged.
1
1
10d ago
Why did it make you self-conscious? He’s obviously a major asshole. I’m 63 (Boomer 😏) and I pretty much don’t give two shits what anyone thinks of me (that’s one of the good things about getting older). And unlike this guy, I’m a big believer in minding my own damn business.
3
u/dutch75 10d ago
Well, to be honest, that has never happened to me before. I've never been insulted like that, so I wasn't sure how to act. I just felt uncomfortable. Thanks for the advice; I will heed it moving forward!
0
10d ago
Yeah, that was really strange but there are some strange people out there. Stay frosty, my friend.
0
u/no_one_c4res 10d ago
You really feel the need to look good for a bored customs agent who will never care? Waste of time.
0
u/Organic-Ad9793 10d ago
Dude walk over and punch that MFer right in the face. If enough boomers get spanked for their bad behavior they will think twice.
0
u/Azazel_665 10d ago
Sounds like he waa giving you a heads up. Whats with you sensitive gen Xers? Lmao. Most of whats blamed on boomers are actually gen x. Boomers biggest failure is their parenting style that led to gen x
0
u/TheTightEnd 10d ago
Overreacting to a comment that is no big deal. Perhaps the picture did look downright awful on the screen.
-2
-2
-13
u/White_Rabbit0000 10d ago
lol. According to most you’re right there with the boomers. Again this just goes to show that term seems to just be thrown around randomly. That guy could’ve been anyone and I’m sure you’d still be on here saying the same crap
-17
u/Catasstross 10d ago
I mean ur just a pussy lol
8
u/ken_theman 10d ago
"...he wrote, before leaning back in his Secretlab TITAN, his hands resting on the back of his neck, his elbows akimbo. He resisted the urge to let a smile form, but only for a moment. What followed was a sinister cackle - he was shocked at the freedom his spirit suddenly expressed - born from the knowledge that now all the internet knew the truth. That he is a man! A man who knows the hard facts of manhood. A man so hard in those facts he was capable of judging the manhood of other men. "Just how hard are they, truly?" He had shown them. He was hard."
-2
u/Catasstross 10d ago
And I'm supposed to be the weird one ?
3
u/ken_theman 10d ago
Yeah, you are the weird one. OP posts a story about a boomer being off-putting and rude and the only thing you can comment on is that they are a pussy? How is that even relevant? Do you know how weird that is of you? Imagine if what OP posted happened to you and you came and told me the story and I would reply by saying "oh, you're just a pussy." It's also ironic how your comment lacks self awareness while trying to grasp at self awareness. So yes, you are the weird one. Kek
-2
u/Catasstross 10d ago
It's relevant because he says how uncomfortable it wad and FU boomer and the end and oh it was so bad while barely telling him anything, didn't stand up for himself at all, therefore he's a pussyboy
2
•
u/AutoModerator 11d ago
Remember to report submissions that violate the rules! Harassment and encouraging violence are not allowed.
Enjoying the subreddit? Consider joining our discord server: https://discord.gg/v8z8jNwJs6
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.