The best moments in life are often those when you witness someone other than yourself doing or saying something that you're glad you didn't. Today I had such a moment.
I had gone to Canadian Tire to get Kylie's skates sharpened. When I took them to the teller to pay she said to me, "and does the person who these belong to put them on herself?". I said "no. most kids don't to that til there about 10 or 12. Well she proceeeded to give me a lecture about how kids need to do this stuff for themselves, and that in the case of her daughter she had insisted she carry her own equipment, and put it on by herself including tying up her own skates. She expressed this all in a very superior manner and quite frankly I was a little taken aback. In my mind I said, well either you're full of shit lady, and/or you have done your kid a big diservice by letting her learn to skate without the skates being properly laced!! But being the mature guy I am I let her finish and then calmly responded that I didn't think there were too many 5 year old girls who had the strength to tie their skates properly, and that at least in the case of my granddaughter she still needed help. She just harumphed.
But that wasn't the special moment. That didn't come for at least a full minute because she was busy squeezing, and twisting, and turning, trying to get the anti-theft device off of Ky's skates that the sharpening guy had put on. I just quietly watched her struggle and grumble without interrupting before with just a hint of a smile, and not the least bit of sarcasm I said, "and I think my granddaugter would have trouble getting that thing off without any help either. She did not make further eye contact with me, and as the line at her till started to gorw she sheepishly called over to the lady at the courtesy counter for help. I left it at that.
And you know what? I truly don't think it was a special moment for me because someone else was getting a comeuppance, but rather just because for once it wasn't me who was trying to backpedal after opening his big mouth too quickly. Life is good!
By the way, the kids on Colbs hockey team are all 8 or 9 years old and there is not one of them that ties his own skates....guaranteed!
(computrainer 1:30)
I had gone to Canadian Tire to get Kylie's skates sharpened. When I took them to the teller to pay she said to me, "and does the person who these belong to put them on herself?". I said "no. most kids don't to that til there about 10 or 12. Well she proceeeded to give me a lecture about how kids need to do this stuff for themselves, and that in the case of her daughter she had insisted she carry her own equipment, and put it on by herself including tying up her own skates. She expressed this all in a very superior manner and quite frankly I was a little taken aback. In my mind I said, well either you're full of shit lady, and/or you have done your kid a big diservice by letting her learn to skate without the skates being properly laced!! But being the mature guy I am I let her finish and then calmly responded that I didn't think there were too many 5 year old girls who had the strength to tie their skates properly, and that at least in the case of my granddaughter she still needed help. She just harumphed.
But that wasn't the special moment. That didn't come for at least a full minute because she was busy squeezing, and twisting, and turning, trying to get the anti-theft device off of Ky's skates that the sharpening guy had put on. I just quietly watched her struggle and grumble without interrupting before with just a hint of a smile, and not the least bit of sarcasm I said, "and I think my granddaugter would have trouble getting that thing off without any help either. She did not make further eye contact with me, and as the line at her till started to gorw she sheepishly called over to the lady at the courtesy counter for help. I left it at that.
And you know what? I truly don't think it was a special moment for me because someone else was getting a comeuppance, but rather just because for once it wasn't me who was trying to backpedal after opening his big mouth too quickly. Life is good!
By the way, the kids on Colbs hockey team are all 8 or 9 years old and there is not one of them that ties his own skates....guaranteed!
(computrainer 1:30)
Hahaha, awesome story. You handled it well!
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