What is it about some people that they think they are welcome to voice their opinion on things that are none of their business? These folks are all around you and always ready and willing to "set you straight" in matters that are of no concern to them, although they think otherwise. I am talking about THE BUSY BODIES !!
Generally speaking I have found that as the age of a person increases the amount of advice they want to impart to you also grows. Maybe it is that the older people get the smarter they think they are? Or it could be that many of our older generation have developed the attitude of entitlement which makes them think that everyone around them is just hanging on their every word and thought. (Sort of like me when I blog except you have the option of not reading this crap where as the "BB's" are in your face TELLING you what you NEED to do. Not just suggestions or recommendations but rather orders and instructions.) Most times when I encounter someone like this I just smile, pretend to listen and then walk away hitting the Delete button in my brain so the entire one sided conversation is permanently erased. But like mosquitos and jock itch they persist in annoying you until they get what they want from you . . . total submission and admiration to them for imparting their wisdom upon you.
Fortunately I hang out with people younger than myself so that I get to be the Yoda of the group. Hopefully I keep my "wisdom" to myself unless I am asked and even then I try to be aware that I am NOT a rocket scientist nor do I know everything.
Unfortunately this is not the case with the senior community in Port St. Lucie, FL. For those of you who do not know that Florida is known as "God's Waiting Room" because it is overflowing with a general population who's average age is 92 this may not seem to be an issue but believe me when I tell you entering Port St. Lucie is like stepping into a pit of venomous snakes. Snakes who drive no less or at least snakes who own and marginally operate cars. Driving in this town is like being on a roller derby team that is skating full speed while blindfolded. You never know where the next car will come from or where it is going to go so you have to put your instincts and reactions on high alert. But that is a whole other blog.
Right now I'm talking about what happens when you enter the "hallowed " ground of the Senior Citizen Community. You better be in top form and ready to do battle because this is a place like no other on Earth. Everyone, and I do mean EVERYONE, in these communities think they are God's gift to the world so you had better pay attention and pay homage to them. Any thing they say should be written on tablets of stone just like Moses did and then those wise words should be shared with the world and followed without question.
In case you haven't figured out yet that I am talking about my oldest cousin and her friends let me enlighten you. (You do not have to write any of this in stone) Cousin L was in the hospital and rehab for well over a month. She is now home in her house and doing quite well for a lady of 89 years. She is continuing to recover and is looking and feeling like her "old" self. While she was in the hospital and rehab center I received at least three phone calls or texts a day, (some day's even more). These calls came from Cousin L's "concerned" neighbors and friends. Two out of three of those calls were to TELL me what I NEEDED to do for my cousin and HOW I should do it. They ranged from instructions on what to tell the doctor and nurses, who to call in the hospital/rehab to get what I needed, and just who and what THEY (the "friends") did not like about the state of affairs that were going on with their "dear friend" L. Now I realize that friends look out for one another and I certainly hope that if and when the time comes that I am hospitalized my friends will step up and help my kids make some tough decisions because no one knows you better than a long time GOOD friend. My Best Buds know me way better than my kids do and that is as it should be. I prefer my kids look at me as Super Mom who is just perfect, (HA!) where as my BFF's know me for what I am . . .
A Perfect MESS ! But I also know that my friends will offer suggestions and then back off while my kids make the tough decisions like which insane asylum I should be committed to. My friends have known me for well over 50 years unlike the "good friends" of Cousin L who have known her for all of a year or two. There are 2 women in particular that just need to shut the "F" up and mind their own business. Both of them call me all the time telling me what they think and what I need to do so last week when I was in Port St. Lucie I had had enough. "Friend" number 2 sent me two texts while I was driving up there, one of them saying I HAD to call her immediately. I did not read these texts until I pulled into Cousin L's driveway so needless to say I ignored them. I had a lovely visit with my cousin and about an hour before I left who should show up at L's door but "friend #2" all fired up that I had not called her. She plopped herself down on L's couch and proceeded to TELL me all the things that she did not like about the aide who is caring for L seven days a week for 4 hours a day. I had just spent the last 3 hours with this aide in which time I found her to be more than competent and pleasant. The aide, cousin L and I had gone out to lunch where we chatted about all sorts of things so by the time friend #2 showed up I had pretty much decided I liked this aide and I liked how she was working with Cousin L, who can be a tough cookie. Friend #2 has probably spent less than an hour with this care taker yet she had definite opinions about what I should do to get rid of her. I sat there listening politely and then when she finally shut up I basically told her WE, (L and I) did not care what friend #2 thought because WE liked the aide and WE were going to do what WE wanted so shut the hell up and Mind Your Own Business ! DEAD SILENCE followed by a quick exit by F#2.
I doubt I will get many more texts from her which is fine because life is too short to put up with "friends" like that.
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