I was speechless!

How very dare he Phoenix! Why on earth did he assume you couldn't fix the spindle yourself!!

I think I might have grabbed the loose spindle and stuck it somewhere painful. What a cheek ?

Thank you for the responses! I probably could fix it myself, but it was the implication that I was so old and feeble that a "fall" might finish me off that really got my goat!

Actually, add to that, that I might even be likely to need to hang on to that bit whilst descending the stairs!

When it comes to those stairs, I'm up and down like a whores drawers, and have never felt any worries at all!

I think I might have pushed him down the stairs

I hope you just gave him 'the look'.

How ridiculous!!

Whore's drawers, must use that in future

phoenix, I do hope however good his quote was that you aren't going to give him the work. Imagine, this chap in your home for several days, no doubt coming out with more 'gems'

Certainly wouldn't want him in my house if he had BO, apart from the remark.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Pheonix, hahahaha! How you cheer me![wink

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.

Just what I was thinking Grannyactivist!

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!

'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...........

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.