I feel that I let myself down last night.
Let me explain.
I was in a local pub with my longtime quiz mates - Michael and Michael. It is a pub we have visited many times. As usual, there were a few other regular quiz teams there. One of these teams consists of a bunch of forty something men who can be very irritating and childish. Their sense of humour is quite inane.
For example, they may often call out "Line!" when they haven't achieved a line of correct answers at all or they might call out "Corners!" when the prize for corner answers on the bingo-style quiz sheet has already gone. And if another team wins a prize they will customarily call out things like, "Check it carefully!" or "Make sure you have a look at his i-phone!" And they might mimic the other team's caller. There's no humility or respect and they are very unfunny.
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| "Red Tooth" Connect Five quiz sheet |
Anyway - last night - we were the first team to achieve four correct corner answers so I called out and headed for the bar where the landlady was reading out the answers. My call had already been mimicked by the juvenile gang and then one of them commented loudly, "Look he's running to get there! He's so excited!"
As I passed them, and without thinking, I said "**** off you bunch of tossers!" and proceeded to claim our prize. Behind me my angry reaction caused them much pretend mirth. As I claimed our prize, two men from a different team agreed with my rude assessment of the others. One said, "It's because they're from down south. Pillocks!"
Over the years of visiting that pub for the quiz, I have studiously ignored the mouthy quiz team - never rising to the bait but last night my reaction erupted without forethought and I regret it. I like to lead a peaceful, friendly kind of life, avoiding confrontation or angry outbursts and it was disappointing to momentarily lose control. It's something that those oiks will have banked for future reference and I know I will not have heard the last of it. But thankfully I did manage to ignore them when a couple of the group bid me good night as I left - again seeking to get a rise out of me. Pillocks!
Please don't label all of us Southerners as 'Pillocks' some of us are lovely people. lol
ReplyDeleteBriony
x
You and Tom are lovely but I don't know about the others.
DeleteThey had it coming. F*ck 'em.
ReplyDeleteDid you see Hercules at the end of my last post? I wish that I had been him last night.
DeleteSometimes we just aren't as perfect as we would like.
ReplyDeleteWhatever!
That's true Kylie. We can only strive.
DeleteDown south? What? You mean like Chesterfield? Pillocks!
ReplyDeleteI meant The Deep South where the cotton plantations and gymkhanas are.
DeleteThat's a pity - if they had been from Chesterfield I could have told you a good comeback about the shape of their spires.
DeleteThat bunch would have behaved the same way at school, baiting other kids. It hasn't occurred to them they are no longer at school. A classic example of retarded maturity.
ReplyDeleteAlphie
Actually one of the Michaels told me that three or four of them are still in school! It is hard to believe but they are teachers!
DeleteOh dear. Do they ever win a round? Perhaps you could arrange for their prize to be a set of babies' dummies?
ReplyDeleteThey do sometimes win and when they do we never comment or call out.
DeleteI can verify I am not a pillock (at least I wasn't the last time I looked!) Unfortunately when some men (and I shudder to add women too) get in a crowd, they feel empowered and act like idiots, wherever they're from. They are probably the sort of football fans that smash up things when visiting a foreign country ad get us a bad name. Pillocks indeed.
ReplyDeleteI will happily remove your name from the Pillocks list ADDY. I agree with what you suggest about people in groups.
DeleteConfabulation, confession, impulsive outburst, regret - is everything alright?
ReplyDeleteAre you a psychotherapist Philip? Shall I lie down on your couch?
DeleteAll my professional life has indeed been in the psychiatric field!
DeleteToo bad you didn't get it on film. I'd like to see that.
ReplyDeleteIt will soon be out on Netflix... "The Puddingator"
DeleteNo doubt they are simply jealous of your higher level of intelligence and maturity. We all get pushed past that line at times and you are not to be blamed for your words. You and your friends are to be commended for putting up with these fellows for as long as you have done so.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind support Bonnie.
DeleteI'm not sure if I'm a southerner or a northerner. I was born and spent my childhood in the south so I suppose I must be a pillock.
ReplyDelete#Me too!
DeleteA pillock sounds like a kind of fish - perhaps a cross between a pilchard and a haddock.
DeletePollocks!
DeleteI think that begins with a "B".
DeleteSome people never grow up. It's a sad truth. I don't know how those folks can't see their behavior more clearly, but they aren't the only ones in the world and I doubt that will ever change. Steady on, YP; as you have already figured out, pretending they are invisible is the only way to deal with them.
ReplyDeleteI strive so hard to be nice to just about everyone I meet. It's easy to forget that some people are just "assholes" as residents of the United States might say.
DeleteThe first thing in correcting this issue is to realize the mistake. After that you'll take control and these guys won't know what happened.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine you shooting from the hip like that Red. I bet you are as calm as The Lord Buddha.
DeleteVery rarely are comments we make in the heat of the moment ones that we do not almost immediately regret.
ReplyDelete'South' is relative. I was deeply affronted when I came to Lewis to be referred to as a Sassunach (Gaelic) Sassenach (Scots) which people said meant Southerner and was generally used in a derogatory context. I was never a Southerner. I was from The North (of England). In fact the word's dictionary meaning is 'English' but I suspect few people actually know that. Indeed many people I know use it to refer to Lowland Scots - who were not amongst the Highlanders' favourite people either.
I've had my share of angry moments like that, and always felt embarrassed afterwards. But it's a legitimate feeling, and maybe we shouldn't be critical of ourselves for having a natural human emotion under those circumstances. Besides -- at least they didn't punch you in the nose!
ReplyDelete