A short note to an old man
Dear little old man at the Durham Farmers Market:
You are an old man, quite obviously cranky and set in your ways, and used to just saying whatever the hell pops into your mind. I suppose age could excuse this, but I strongly suspect you were like that before the years added up, and the walker was needed. I suspect it, but I’m not sure – perhaps before the years passed you were a sweet and gentle fellow, friend to all, polite to a fault. That doubtfulness is the only thing that kept me from whacking you with my purse on Friday afternoon at the market.
You see, I personally don’t think it’s polite to walk up to a stranger and say “Jeez, look at the mug on that dog – that’s one ugly face. Face only a mother could love, huh?”.
Because, no – no, I don’t think she’s ugly. I don’t think her face is ugly, and she is, in fact, loved by a great many people. More, perhaps, than could love a cranky old coot like you.
I bit my tongue when you said it – ignored you, in fact. Just let it slide, walked right past you. Sean was shocked – he said he was surprised I didn’t ‘kick the crutches out from under you’.
Like I said, I gave you the benefit of the doubt, old man. But my little dog is just as old as you – older, probably, in dog years. I see nothing but beauty in her face, and the fact that you can’t see it? Your loss, I suppose.
I still wish I’d hit you with my purse, though.
I walk around with two Pugs and a Frenchie all the time, so I hear a cacophony of crap daily.
I often have to restrain myself from kicking people in the throat. Seriously.
For what it’s worth, she’s a beauty!
The nerve of that guy!
I think Tessa has one of the most lovely faces (and I know nothing about Frenchies- I’m just going on presonality and well, STYLE here) on any dog that I know of!
Lizzie says peeing on these people doesn’t leave a nasty taste in your mouth, and if you’re a girl dog, it’s a GREAT sneak attack.
It’s sad that old farts are just as shallow as the tatooed and pierced set. But how can you reach that age and not know never to ever insult someone’s dog. Of course he may have just been trying to come on to you.
jan’s last blog post..Gus named World’s Ugliest Dog, 2008
Oh, Carol, you misread this cranky old man. He saw Tessa, and he was so taken with her, he just had to say something. Maybe it didn’t sound very nice to you, maybe he didn’t even look very happy when he said it, but he probably looked at Tessa and thought, you and me girl, we’ve both got the years on us, we both maybe aren’t the best looking critters out there, but we’re still here and people had better take notice!
Aw, she’s beautiful!
I have a Frenchie pup and have heard it all, too. “…so ugly it’s cute…” blah blah blah. I find that my Frenchie looks better than the people making the comments. And no, sir, my dog is NOT a pug.
Senile dementia, to be sure. Couldn’t Tessa have arranged to take a poop between his feet? Or better yet, on his foot? Ugly indeed. It would have been satisfying to hit him with your purse, but they can’t arrest a dog for pooping.