Deaf as a doorknob
My grandpa, recently departed, was a great old fella. A proper gentleman, had time for everyone, and taught us a good few things as we grew up.

Despite this, owing to a combination of bomb damage in the war, and falling off a ladder a few years back, he was pretty much deaf. No amount of 'revolutionary digital' non-NHS hearing aids from rip-off door to door salesmen helped, and so communicating with him was never easy. As a result, when he spoke to you, he'd often be shouting - in a deep voice that brought silence to any doctor's waiting room or restaurant.

Memorable moments included:

- in A&E where he was being well cared for, announcing 'there's a lot of black people working here - some of them are even doctors, they're not all cleaners'

- in Prezzo, 'I don't think our waitress is really Italian, I think she's Polish. They're cheaper to employ, cos there's just so many of them' - as the very nice waitress was standing next to the table opening the wine.

- waiting in the doctor's surgery 'One - two - three - four - FIVE black people waiting. That's a lot. They must get ill a lot'

- at an old friend's wake, standing in line for the buffet, talking about a very nice afro-caribbean couple who lived next door to the deceased, who'd been great neighbours to him until his dying days & had come along to the funeral to pay their respects like the rest of us 'Hmm - I wonder who that black man and his wife are - I wouldn't have thought that Peter had any black friends - I hope they got the right funeral!'. The couple in question heard, put down their plate of iceland sausage rolls and walked away :-((

- in the local Indian restaurant where we were the only table in there, 'That waiter's long beard looks really daft - why's it so long - he's a 20yr old that looks 50! (didn't bother trying to explain religious observence - just looked apologetically towards the waiter, and hoped that he didn't spit in MY lamb rogan josh...

- not racist, but probably the best - just before I got married, at a family meal, shouted out 'You know, I didn't really like MrsPitta at first - wasn't much to her - but these days, I think she's quite nice' - just as my fiance walked back to the table from the ladies. He said it so loud that the whole restaurant turned round and looked at her'

Deep down, he wasn't racist - he supported all parts of the community and did a lot of good in his time. I guess he just came from an era where people had these thoughts. He really could have done with keeping them to himself, or being a bit quieter.

Miss him loads. Funeral a week today :-(

RIP gpa

x
(harrypitta friends with the chilli saucerer, Fri 28 Oct 2011, 10:32, 8 replies)

I'm not racist, either, but I'm still surprised that they allow black people to be doctors.
I get the feeling that there'll be a lot of insult being directed at people's grandparents, this week.
( monster munch person, man, woman... camera... TV?, Fri 28 Oct 2011, 10:37, closed)

" I guess he just came from an era where people had these thoughts. "
Interesting idea. I think the reason this thread is causing more than usual amounts of consternation is that everybody knows that, in the current era, there are still a lot of people who have these thoughts but know they're not popular any more.

And this thread, as well as laughing at or just being mystified by the racism of older generations (as was the intention, I guess), is being used as a "safe" place to air those thoughts which can no longer be safely aired anywhere else (unless you're Melanie Phillips).
( shinyshinyscalp less a man, more a way of life, Fri 28 Oct 2011, 11:30, closed)

There are a lot less of us have these thoughts
than our grandparents though.

You're right though, I reckon.

I'm not a liberal namby pamby, but at best this is just a lot of repetition of jokes we used to tell at primary school. This does not make for a compelling read.
(username failed moderation, Fri 28 Oct 2011, 11:58, closed)

Have you ever seen a BMW?

( monster munch person, man, woman... camera... TV?, Fri 28 Oct 2011, 12:10, closed)

What do Black Men Wanking have to do with it?

( Another_tragic_case wished he hadn't eaten all the cake, Fri 28 Oct 2011, 14:01, closed)

It was Black Man's Willy, when I was at school.
We wouldn't have known what wanking was.
( monster munch person, man, woman... camera... TV?, Fri 28 Oct 2011, 15:03, closed)

Never be aired anywhere else...?
You never fucking been to Australia?
dear sweet jebus, we've got racism so down pat here that...[some really funny metaphor]...
(Gritty, yet fluffy. kipperpillock is obsessed with me =), Sat 29 Oct 2011, 14:43, closed)

Our grandparents just grew up in a different time
We can't really judge them for being old and stuck in their ways. You're right though, he could have done with being a bit quieter! Made me smile and I'm sorry for your loss.

Click
(Petite chien is going to do science to it, Fri 28 Oct 2011, 19:07, closed)