This Old Man At The Store And Church

[pirate_girl]

I've noticed this man around town.
He's old.
Probably in his early 80's.. not sure really.
Anyhow, I've noticed that he-
1. Drives a little '91 Geo Metro.. red with a convertible top.
2. He walks using two canes in one hand.
3. He looks and smells unwashed.
4.I talked to him briefly at the grocery store yesterday.

He told me he used to be an engineer at Wright Patterson.. very intelligent.. he was telling me a story about how we one day will all be able to live to be 5,000 years old.
I just stood there and listened to him, shaking my head and saying that's interesting.. stuff like that.
Told him I was a nurse.
He asked where I worked.
I told him and then he said he should have his knees done.
I encouraged him to do so.. but at his age it might be risky.. however.. he seems pretty healthy for his age.

One thing that I noticed is that when he was taking his bags out to the car ( two in one hand.. canes in the other) as I was also leaving the store.. he was cussing a blue streak as he was getting inside his car.
He was screaming and saying things like 'sonofabitch! you're trying to kill me' 'God ___! it'
I think his knees were killing him.
Anyhow.. I saw him .. the same guy at church this morning.
Same behaviour.
I sit in the back pews and he came in and did the same thing!
Cussing like that in church.
Nobody seemed to take much notice.
Talk about a coincidence.

Never have I seem him in church before, but a lady I talked to after said he is a member there and does that all the time.
It was just one of those weird things.
Maybe I should go to church more.
Maybe I should try to reach out more to this old fella and find out where he lives?

 

[Trakternut]

I've noticed this man around town.
He's old.
Probably in his early 80's.. not sure really.


Maybe I should try to reach out more to this old fella and find out where he lives?

When you do, post a thread. I'd be interested in what you find out about him. He might have some stories that would fill a book.

You might have been given this opportunity to minister to someone who needs a friend.

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

You might have been given this opportunity to minister to someone who needs a friend.

X2. Sounds like he has nobody
Maybe it wouldn't hurt to try and be a friend to this man. If he doesn't want one, then so be it, but at least you tried. Let us know what you decide to do.

 

[Lia]

One of my Godfather's had bad knees, and before he had them operated on he was in agonizing pain with them. Maybe when this elderly gentleman bends his knees, as when trying to get into his vehicle, or sitting on a church pew, he is cussing with the pain of it all. Poor man. I think it would be nice to try to befriend him, and as trakternut mentioned, he may well have some very interesting anecdotes to expound upon.

 

[pirate_girl]

I'll be sure to let you know next time I happen to see him, and what transpires.
Some things just weigh heavy on my heart and mind.

 

[Greatest I am]

I'll be sure to let you know next time I happen to see him, and what transpires.
Some things just weigh heavy on my heart and mind.

It happens that I have had 2 back operations.
The first was a 7 disc fusion, the second a 3 disk fusion and I am told I will have to get the same right up my neck in about 3 years.

The point is that getting in and out of cars is one of the hardest things to do when the bones do not want to cooperate.

I agree with the notion mentioned here that it is good to befriend an older person.

I did not have access to my grand father for most of my growing years but when we did get together later, some of our conversations and some of what I learned were some of the most interesting things that I have ever learned.

Perhaps when I get older, whatever I have to say will be of interest to a younger generation. That would be nice.

Regards
DL

 

[pirate_girl]

thanks.
How old are you?

 

[Greatest I am]

thanks.
How old are you?

61 years young.
Too old for you. At least that is what my wife says.
That aside, we share true love but I can still joke a bit.
I find something strange though.
The younger generation, per capita, seems to be thinking more rationally than their parents.
That is why I remain optimistic for the future.

Regards
DL

 

[JTyler]

Interesting. I've had this kind of thing happen to me before. It's almost as if he's a new character being introduced to a TV show where you're the main character.

Take the other people's advice and try to talk to him again. He could have a lot of interesting things to say, or not.

 

[fogtender]

61 years young.
Too old for you. At least that is what my wife says.
That aside, we share true love but I can still joke a bit.
I find something strange though.
The younger generation, per capita, seems to be thinking more rationally than their parents.
That is why I remain optimistic for the future.

Regards
DL

I'm duly impressed, you are now talking like most of us on the Forum. Maybe you can continue as such and fit in well verses what you have posted earlier.

Sounds like you can attract a lot more interest being normal verses sounding like you fell off the deep end.

Welcome to the forum!

 

[pirate_girl]

Take the other people's advice and try to talk to him again. He could have a lot of interesting things to say, or not.

I know where he lives now, I know the name he goes by (Carly)- short for Carlton.
He lives in a big brick house across from the elementary school, one block north of my bank.
That house used to be beautiful, and I think a doctor and his family lived there a long time ago.
Anyway, now the yard on the east side facing the street is littered with what appears to be abandoned vehicles.
There is an old blue Buick sitting there with the door open, a camper that's sitting under a tree and another car.
The blinds in the house are those old green ones that block out light, and they are ripped and torn on the first floor.
I've seen several cats on the porches.
The saddest thing I've seen is that I think he spends most of his time in that dinky little car.
I saw the car again in the supermarket parking lot.
It's full of discarded McDonald's, Arby's and Taco Bell bags.
There are clothes and crap in the back seat area, or what there is of a back seat.
A pair of blue handled scissors were on the dash... and papers thrown here and there.
The convertible top on the car is taped on the left side near the bottom.
I am thinking he gets up in the morning and just makes his way around town in the damned car all day and eats in there.
I have yet to see the little red car at the house, but I was told by someone that he is who he is.. this is where he lives.

 

[Lia]

I know where he lives now, I know the name he goes by (Carly)- short for Carlton.
He lives in a big brick house across from the elementary school, one block north of my bank.
That house used to be beautiful, and I think a doctor and his family lived there a long time ago.
Anyway, now the yard on the east side facing the street is littered with what appears to be abandoned vehicles.
There is an old blue Buick sitting there with the door open, a camper that's sitting under a tree and another car.
The blinds in the house are those old green ones that block out light, and they are ripped and torn on the first floor.
I've seen several cats on the porches.
The saddest thing I've seen is that I think he spends most of his time in that dinky little car.
I saw the car again in the supermarket parking lot.
It's full of discarded McDonald's, Arby's and Taco Bell bags.
There are clothes and crap in the back seat area, or what there is of a back seat.
A pair of blue handled scissors were on the dash... and papers thrown here and there.
The convertible top on the car is taped on the left side near the bottom.
I am thinking he gets up in the morning and just makes his way around town in the damned car all day and eats in there.
I have yet to see the little red car at the house, but I was told by someone that he is who he is.. this is where he lives.

I was about to say 'Poor Man' again, but, on reflection it sounds, from your OP, and this post, that he might just be an 'intellectual eccentric,' happy to just be able to get out and about, and staying out of the house all day because, perhaps he might need to see a friendly face or two.

Perhaps he's just a social cat, and likes to be in company, even if on the peripheral, such as at the local store, people watching, or at the mall, wherever. A man, in his golden years, rudderless without a companion/wife, and cannot bear to be stuck at home.

So, I don't think he is the 'poor man' that I took him to be initially; he could well be happy in his own way; quite eccentric, but happy. Bless him.

 

[Greatest I am]

I'm duly impressed, you are now talking like most of us on the Forum. Maybe you can continue as such and fit in well verses what you have posted earlier.

Sounds like you can attract a lot more interest being normal verses sounding like you fell off the deep end.

Welcome to the forum!

Thank you.

My goal is not to fit well. It is to promote thinking and you will notice that I and the ones who do, do not usually have a problem.

It is the theists who just cannot take their dogma being challenged who end up with just abusive replies as they cannot usually refute my logic.

Martin Luther was right as far as theists are and how they have to think so I expect to be treated like a whore by the sheeple.

Faith must trample under foot all reason, sense, and understanding.
Martin Luther

Reason is a whore, the greatest enemy that faith has.
Martin Luther


Regards
DL

 

[Danang Sailor]

... My goal is not to fit well. It is to promote thinking and you will notice that I and the ones who do, do not usually have a problem ...

It appears you have succeeded, at least partially; you definitely do not fit well. As to promoting thought, you have
generally failed; your blatant anti-Christian rants have engendered a lot of fierce responses, but they did
not plow new ground. Considering the viciousness of your attacks that is to be expected; the language you use
is so heavily weighted with negative connotations that emotional responses were to be expected. In point
of fact your posts were written in such a way that it appears that this, and not thought, was what you were really
trying to provoke.

You move from forum to forum, spewing the same anti-Christian rhetoric in each. I wish you luck with
the next forum you move to; it seems you may have peaked here and should be moving along.

This will no doubt be labeled in some highly negative way, but that is expected. You have defined yourself and any
mewling noises that you may make at this point will not matter.

 

[pirate_girl]

Not only that, he got away with adding some more of his utter garbage in a thread that is in the seriously speaking section.
Unreal..

 

[SShepherd]

It appears you have succeeded, at least partially; you definitely do not fit well. As to promoting thought, you have
generally failed; your blatant anti-Christian rants have engendered a lot of fierce responses, but they did
not plow new ground. Considering the viciousness of your attacks that is to be expected; the language you use
is so heavily weighted with negative connotations that emotional responses were to be expected. In point
of fact your posts were written in such a way that it appears that this, and not thought, was what you were really
trying to provoke.

You move from forum to forum, spewing the same anti-Christian rhetoric in each. I wish you luck with
the next forum you move to; it seems you may have peaked here and should be moving along.

This will no doubt be labeled in some highly negative way, but that is expected. You have defined yourself and any
mewling noises that you may make at this point will not matter.

you're right, if his goal is to "not fit in" then he's just being a troll. Thats' pretty much the definition of one straight foreward.

 

[fogtender]

I know where he lives now, I know the name he goes by (Carly)- short for Carlton.
He lives in a big brick house across from the elementary school, one block north of my bank.

Funny what age does to some more than others.

He may be just a loney soul and wants to have people think he is important, or in fact may have been very important and it is slipping away from him.

I know some guys that were Gifted "Geeks", they spent their entire life doing things that affected a lot of people's quality of life, and when they got older they had never really had a social life outside of work... So they became lost.

This man sounds like the latter of the two.

Maybe you can get him involved in a church function where he feels needed.

May change him overnight having a mission!

 

[pirate_girl]

I was about to say 'Poor Man' again, but, on reflection it sounds, from your OP, and this post, that he might just be an 'intellectual eccentric,' happy to just be able to get out and about, and staying out of the house all day because, perhaps he might need to see a friendly face or two.

Perhaps he's just a social cat, and likes to be in company, even if on the peripheral, such as at the local store, people watching, or at the mall, wherever. A man, in his golden years, rudderless without a companion/wife, and cannot bear to be stuck at home.

So, I don't think he is the 'poor man' that I took him to be initially; he could well be happy in his own way; quite eccentric, but happy. Bless him.

I think you just might be right Laurie.

Funny what age does to some more than others.

He may be just a loney soul and wants to have people think he is important, or in fact may have been very important and it is slipping away from him.

I know some guys that were Gifted "Geeks", they spent their entire life doing things that affected a lot of people's quality of life, and when they got older they had never really had a social life outside of work... So they became lost.

This man sounds like the latter of the two.

Maybe you can get him involved in a church function where he feels needed.

May change him overnight having a mission!

I drove past that house he lives in this evening, Mark.
There he was, out in the yard with a cane in one hand and a golf club in the other.. he was swatting at the overgrown grass near the sidewalk!
I also noticed he has not one, but TWO of those red Geo's, identical.
Also the camper, and other cars.
Very odd that the city hasn't come down on him for the way his place looks.
This is right across from the public elementary school, in the heart of town where all the old historic German style homes are, owned by the elite in this town.
And the cats! Dear God the cats! Everywhere!
Took a look at the front porch and it's full of trash.
No curtains at all in the upper floor windows, I think a window was broken out in the upstairs/west side of the house.
Wish I knew how to Google street view for a close-up to show you, but I wouldn't do that.. I already feel like I am curiously care-stalking the poor man

 

[fogtender]

I drove past that house he lives in this evening, Mark.
There he was, out in the yard with a cane in one hand and a golf club in the other.. he was swatting at the overgrown grass near the sidewalk!
I also noticed he has not one, but TWO of those red Geo's, identical.
Also the camper, and other cars.
Very odd that the city hasn't come down on him for the way his place looks.
This is right across from the public elementary school, in the heart of town where all the old historic German style homes are, owned by the elite in this town.
And the cats! Dear God the cats! Everywhere!
Took a look at the front porch and it's full of trash.
No curtains at all in the upper floor windows, I think a window was broken out in the upstairs/west side of the house.
Wish I knew how to Google street view for a close-up to show you, but I wouldn't do that.. I already feel like I am curiously care-stalking the poor man

Well I think since he is an active member of the Church, maybe someone could talk to them and see if there is something they can get him to do that is important that he would be interested in doing. He may just supprise everyone. In return, maybe the church can do some yard work for him, with his permission of course....

 

[pirate_girl]

Well I think since he is an active member of the Church, maybe someone could talk to them and see if there is something they can get him to do that is important that he would be interested in doing. He may just supprise everyone. In return, maybe the church can do some yard work for him, with his permission of course....

I am already thinking in that direction.

 

[fogtender]

Thank you.

My goal is not to fit well. It is to promote thinking and you will notice that I and the ones who do, do not usually have a problem.

It is the theists who just cannot take their dogma being challenged who end up with just abusive replies as they cannot usually refute my logic.

Martin Luther was right as far as theists are and how they have to think so I expect to be treated like a whore by the sheeple.

Faith must trample under foot all reason, sense, and understanding.
Martin Luther

Reason is a whore, the greatest enemy that faith has.
Martin Luther


Regards
DL

Well you just dropped a lot in the standings with that reply...

Clearly you are a snake... As by the discription of your avitar... Good choice!