I Got a Scolding Today

[pastorpiper]

So, I found a nice Dr. Grabow Westbrook at an antique shop today. When I went to pay for it at the counter, the woman behind the counter felt the desire to chastise me on my smoking hobby and tell me how bad it is and how her brother (long time pipe smoker) had to have half of his jaw removed due to mouth and throat cancer. She continued to tell me how dumb it is for people to smoke pipes and how dangerous it is and that people should know better. I thought, "then why on earth do you have pipes for sale in your store???"
I paid her and told her thank you and walked out the door. Weird.
Anyone else run into similar situations? Have you ever had a person (stranger) give you a scolding for choosing to smoke a pipe (and the store owner no doubt!)

 

[workman]

She had a reason to do it. Her brother was severely damaged. You need to appreciate her pain. She's not picking on you.

 

[npod]

Yeah, it happens to most of us at sometime. Many posts here about being chastised in public. I think we all handle it differently. Sometimes humor, sometimes rolling of the eyes.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

So the lady who was selling you the pipe scolded you for buying it? You should have asked her if she could spell hypocrite. People need to mind their own business.

 

[scloyd]

I believe a business owner/employee should keep their opinions and comments to themselves. My wife ordered a Diet Coke recently at a quaint little "farm to table" restaurant and the waitress scolded my wife for ordering a Diet Coke. She commented that Diet Coke is full of chemicals that can cause cancer...blah, blah, blah. My wife's response was "Thank you, I'll have a Diet Coke". I still left her my usual 20% tip, should of stiffed her.

 

[aldecaker]

Any chance you could pull some strings and get her hit by a lightning bolt?

 

[scloyd]

Any chance you could pull some strings and get her hit by a lightning bolt?

:rofl:

 

[ashdigger]

My aunt scolded me about my pipe smoking. She told me that my uncle smoked a pipe and my grandfather smoked a pipe and in er opinion pipe smoking killed them and that pipe smoking would kill me. I got bigger problems that might kill me I told her. I also told her I loved her but she needed to mind her own business. Btw, my uncle lived to be 89 and my grandfather lived to 94.

 

[weezell]

and in er opinion pipe smoking killed them and that pipe smoking would kill me. I got bigger problems that might kill me I told her. I also told her I loved her but she needed to mind her own business. Btw, my uncle lived to be 89 and my grandfather lived to 94.

Well by God she was RIGHT! Smoking killed em... :rofl:

 

[timt]

I’ve only received one negative comment. Didn’t feel a reply was necessary then and I don’t plan to in the future either.

 

[brian64]

My wife ordered a Diet Coke recently at a quaint little "farm to table" restaurant and the waitress scolded my wife for ordering a Diet Coke. She commented that Diet Coke is full of chemicals that can cause cancer...blah, blah, blah.

While certainly inappropriate for a waitress to comment to a customer like that, at least it reflects an opinion formed through independent thought rather than from mass propaganda...uncommon these days. But the aspartame is actually a neurotoxin rather than a carcinogen.

 

[josephcross]

She continued to tell me how dumb it is for people to smoke pipes and how dangerous it is and that people should know better.

Well, lots of things are dangerous. For example driving; my cousin was killed in a car accident and yet I continue to drive knowing that I could die at any moment doing it. I have five children, their pestering alone could send me to the long nap on the other side of the grass.

 

[techie]

I tend to think just about anything folks do in today's environment has the potential to harm or kill, processed food being a prime culprit, followed by the medical industry, which both feed into each other. Heck, even running too much isn't healthy it seems.

 

[jaytex1969]

Y'all gonna give poor carolinachurchwarden flashback...

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

Warning: Being born is the leading cause of death in America..... and the world.

 

[exbenedict]

I have enjoyed many mind and body altering substances throughout my life and by far the most relaxing in terms of cost and efficacy has been my pipe. I am not getting rid of it. Grandfather smoked a pipe, about 10 bowls a daa on average until he turned 85 then he lived until 97. It is what it is.

 

[pastorpiper]

Workman....I agree with you that she was hurting. That's why I didn't say anything back....I just said "wow, that is scary, and I realize what I'm doing doesn't make a lot of sense today."
It just really took me off guard. I wasn't expecting it.....especially in her store that was selling the pipes. Obviously she must have bought them to put them in the store (or maybe she was just the low wage worker). I don't know.

Sure did make me step back and think hard about this hobby I enjoy so much. Maybe I do need a wake up call.

I love smoking my pipes. Maybe that isn't the smart thing to do?

Not what I wanted to hear.....maybe it's what I need to hear.

 

[warren]

Are you sure she wasn't hitting on you in a rather oblique manner? :puffpipe:

 

[bassbug]

She told me that my uncle smoked a pipe and my grandfather smoked a pipe and in er opinion pipe smoking killed them and that pipe smoking would kill me.

You sure it was the pipes that killed 'em? Or maybe they were nagged to death :roll:

 

[newbroom]

It was concern for my health that motivated me to start smoking a pipe, four yrs ago. I was in extreme distress physically and mentally.

Not so much, now. Could it be the pipe smoking? I like to think so.