I Don’t Know
March 17th, 2010 . by Tim Babb (TANcast's #1 Host/Editor Fan)Tim Babb’s March Blog Madness: Day 17
You might expect this to be St. Patrick’s Day themed…you would be wrong. It is a blog that is equal parts hating others and myself.
I was getting my wife’s car smog checked today (Aw yeah) and I was listening to TANcast’s new nemesis the Now Playing Podcast in the unused garage/waiting room. Then two old ladies drive up and ask me something (I couldn’t here over Arnie mocking Friday the 13th Part 3). Since the way the garage/waiting room was set up made it look like I was a grease monkey on a break, I pull off my ear buds and say, “I’m sorry. I don’t work here.”
Then the lady asks me where a certain hospital is. I had heard of it but didn’t know where it was. I asked her for the address and she gives me the directions from her house. (As we were not at her house, this was decidedly unhelpful). So she tells me a street name that I know but I’m not sure where it is in relation to where we were so I say, “I don’t know.”
For some reason, people can not deal with that as an answer. She tries to re ask the question a few times…adding no new information and I still don’t know. Then she asks if there’s someone I can ask. I tell her again, “I don’t work here. I don’t know these people.”
Again, that’s not good enough. So she keeps at me until a guy who works there happens to walk by and I ask him. He goes back and forth with the lady in broken English and eventually she’s on her way (probably to get lost and become someone else’s problem)
So here’s where I’m torn…am I a douche for not being more concerned with helping a fellow citizen? Especially an elderly lady who was taking her elderly lady friend to the doctor? I feel bad, but I honestly didn’t know. Maybe I should have felt more compelled to figure something out to get these ladies help.
On the other hand…I was just sitting there minding my own business. I didn’t offer my help and I didn’t ask to get involved…why is it fair that just because she happened to run into me it has to be MY responsibility?! Why is the onus dumped on me? Fuck you, old lady! I don’t know, ask somebody else. I don’t want to do your leg work just because you’re too old to read those directions.
…yup. I’m a dick.
March 17th, 2010 at 7:23 pm
Nope, I don’t think you’re a douche. Now Playing is so entertaining that it’s natural any interruption will be quickly dismissed.
And it’s ArNie, not ArTie. Common mistake, though… 🙂
March 17th, 2010 at 8:25 pm
Fixed, ArNie 😉
March 18th, 2010 at 1:51 am
I would say you were perfectly in the right. At least you didn’t have a Tim Henson chimpout moment on them.
March 18th, 2010 at 2:55 am
You did try to help though. Instead of just blowing them off right away, you delved a bit and asked them follow-up questions regarding their destination. Your responsibility of decency and civility was fulfilled. Those old ladies should have moved on to someone else once it became clear that you would be no more use to them.
Maybe they just wanted a piece of the Babb and you failed to catch the signals.
March 18th, 2010 at 5:24 pm
No I agree with Geoff. I’ve been in similar situations when I worked at a grocery store. When some one says “I don’t know” I think the wise choice is to say “Thank you for your time” and ask someone else.
March 18th, 2010 at 6:15 pm
I’m with the majority. You did what you could. Better to tell them you don’t know, than to get them lost. It’s not as though she asked you a question, and you said “Fuck off, old lady with sick old lady friend. Don’t you know who I am?! I’m 1/3 of TANcast. I have fucking FANS! I’m listening to Now Playing! Get the fuck OUTTA HERE!”
Though that could have been funny.