I was speechless!

Phoenix, I hope you dont hire him You make me laugh with your comments, the one about the "drawers" I must remember.
Keep writing Phoenix, you keep us all amused.

And here was I thinking the expression was "Up and down like a tart's knickers."

Definitely try and find another decorator.

I would not have held back...I would have told him exactly what I thought...and enjoyed it. Whore's drawers...must....must remember that one...hahaha

How old was he, 12? If he was in his mid 30's or older, I wouldn't be too happy. However, my son and his friends have always treated me like a fragile old lady until recently. They took me to a fantastic little bar/club in Soho last week and I had a great night. In conversation I told them stories of the Soho I knew in the 1970s (working as a part time barmaid, I must add!) and the antics in my job for a large oil company at high level. It brought a whole knew education to my son, who in the space of a week has stopped treating me like an old lady...hoorah! Having said this there is no getting away from wrinkles...(unless we go under "the knife") so we know we are 21 in our heads, but our faces tell a different story!! Live and Let Live that's what I say.

Just coming at this from another angle......

Two months ago a friend aged only 58, fell down the stairs and broke his neck. After two days in intensive care he sadly died and the post mortem could find no reason for his tumble.

His wife is still reeling from the shock.

Barmaid’s knickers is more popular around here

I seem to be the only one who finds this hilariously funny! I would have roared with laughter and told him that when he got to my 'incredible age' he might look at things differently! I am 71.

Oh Phoenix, I would have had difficulty in holding back. What a cheek! I'd have managed a 'look' at least I think.

I am getting a bit worried that as Kim mentioned, I don't see myself as others see me. Lately, so many check-out assistants in shops seem to be patronising me in a way they don't to other younger customers.

"Do you need help my love?"
"You OK pet?"
"Thank you darling."
"There you go my dear"
"Watch how you go lovely."

I have no trouble with such terms of endearment or kindnesses, none at all, but it's almost like they see me as frail and needing help.

I am very independent, upright and walk briskly and am quite matter of fact, not dithery, etc. I do chat and smile a lot.

I am hoping they are being kindly because I am a chatterbox. They may see me as a lonely 'old dear' perhaps?

Heck. I still feel like I'm 25 in my head.

Oh dear, judypark, I'd to ring BG Homecare last week and they asked me whether any elderly or vulnerable people lived here. I said no, but as DH is 67 perhaps I was fibbing!

A couple of years ago a very nice man from the Gas Board came round to discuss the replacement of my conked out boiler. Whilst on his phone to organise delivery he said "Priority order, resident elderly and vulnerable". My head swivelled round the room thinking that my late 90 year old Dad had suddenly rematerialisd.
Nope, t'was me at the grand old age of 58!

What a cheek Phoenix.

Your experience reminded me of the time I hired a taxi. I went into the taxi office near the train station and ordered a taxi for as soon as possible. I sat down and waited and five minutes later a young man came in and did the same thing. When the first taxi arrived he was called for it.Iwent to complain and the receptionist said that as it was a 4x4 she thought it might be difficult for me to get into so they were sending a nice comfy one for me! I was only going a few miles up the road.

'To see ourselves as others see us' right enough. I do believe the young (?) man might have had your best interests at heart. Depending on his own age many of us would fall into the ancient category. I have recently been surprised (and disappointed) by one of my own sons who has suggested I consider installing a downstairs toilet for the day when I 'can't manage the stairs'. Now, I am much older than you, Phoenix, but am pretty agile. He says he's being realistic and I say he's being negative. Can't get this out of my mind either. Strange...........

Last week in Waitrose I couldnt reach an item right at the back of the bottom shelf so knelt down on the floor to get it. A lady stopped and asked if I had fallen and did I need help getting up!! Feeling bemused I hastily jumped up and explained ! But I think all these people are just trying to be kind however tactlessly!

Just what I was thinking Grannyactivist!

People younger than you have died from banging their head in a certain way, phoenix, so what he said contains truth as well as speechlessifyingness . I'm thinking of a youngish woman skier who fell backwards wearing no helmet. She died.

Pheonix, hahahaha! How you cheer me![wink

He does"nt sound very professional to make remarks like that. If he offers this sort of advice to prospective customers I should,nt think he"lle be in business for very long. Perhaps you should have said....can you offer me any references for some of the past work you have done .....we always check these out before making a decision. It might just have put him on the back foot a bit and less smug.

I think I would have been embarrassed, but not angry, if someone wanted to help me cross a road unless they were doing it for a laugh. I would never want to discourage someone trying to be helpful. I did have a young man grab my shopping bag and carry it up the steps at the tube station though. It wasn’t necessary but was a kind gesture.

As for smelly decorators, I would not let them do a job for me. Our last slightly whiffy decorator turned up on the second day at 10 am reeking of alcohol. I had difficulty ejecting him and even more difficulty finding a sweet smelling replacement.

At my local train station recently a young lady in uniform, offered to carry my bag to the train. I am told I don't look my age but I accepted the offer anyway.

Yay! to all comments here, especially the anatomical one.

A few weeks after I lost my husband, I managed to sprain my ankle very badly, so I was walking with a slight limp, and also feeling heartbroken and physically unconfident. One day, coming home with shopping, I paused before crossing the road, wondering whether to go down street A where a friend lives, or street B which would have been a bit quicker. A trivial decision, but... cue The Lady in Pink!
Prob in her 40s, her face was deeply solicitous as she offered to help me either cross the road, or to walk me down to the crossing. I'm afraid my totally livid, and mildly obscene, reaction will have prevented her from ever offering her help to anyone again! It was both infuriating, condescending, and depressing, and if I'd had a suitable weapon at the time (a brolly?) I might have ended up being done for GBH. Smelly ageing males should be put in their place - ie well down.

I loved the way you explained it. It was very cheeky. Even I (old biddy that I still deny being) would not have taken kindly to that. You certainly don’t want his BO mingling with the paint smells either. I hope you find someone else.

He just wanted more jobs and more money - how unwise of him to go about it in this way!

Even if he offered his services for free he should be looking elsewhere. I cannot believe that anybody would have the nerve to come out with that. I am like you, too polite to mention his BO.

Hard to imagine you speechless phoenix ? What a flaming cheek, sounds like he should take a course in customer relations and personal hygiene. There is no way he should get your work now even if his estimate is lower than others and I would be tempted to tell him why.