Walking Stick

Sorry that people have made you so upset. I Haven't had your experience but still feel for you. Maybe you should get a T_shirt that says, "The next person that asks me what I am doing with this stick will get it over the head."

Well, they don't realize that they are pointing fingers at you in a rude way. I know it can be frustrating. But I think sometimes they want to be friendly at times, trying to show they care, wondering how you are doing. I've used a cane many times, and my favorite looking one is one that I bought in a nature store. It is pretty tall, and kind of is the color of a brown/white cow. Very thick and very sturdy. When I see people with real sticks as canes (and if I like them), I often compliment them on them. The other day, at my gym, there was an elderly man who had a nice looking branch one. What was so impressive is that he said that he makes his own collection himself! Wow! Anyway, you can just answer them in a half sarcastic or friendly (so they realize how silly of a question that was), "Because it helps me walk." !!

DUMB questions deserve DUMB answers!!!! The next time someone ask you what the stick is tell them "I am a witch and I have turned my broom into a stick to disquise it!" When my children were very little, baby, 2,3,4 I was in JC Penny's and this lady had the nerve to make a comment about how many children I had, then she looked at my step son and said "Why is he in a cast?" and I said "Becasue he was abused by his mother and we have full custody!".... SHE LEFT!!!! Maybe she never asked a none of my business question after that!

Gee, well, what the hell does it LOOK like I'm doing with this stick?! DUH?! Can they say DUH? It's very wise to walk with a stick just in case of an attack from an intruder or an animal, be it wild or domestic not to mention in case you fall, it'll help steady you and keep you from falling. But there again, it could be a conversation piece. Some people get tongue tied and don't know what else to say so they use your stick as a conversation piece. Who knows, right? Hugs!!

Perhaps you should take it as a compliment? Maybe you look so fit that you don't look like you need a walking stick! I don't know why people ask stupid questions. I really think people should just mind their own business. I was asked the other day why my hair was thinning. I was really upset by this question, because I don't want to look like my hair is thinning. I'm only 37 and to be losing my hair is a big deal to me. I just said I didn't know why and changed the subject. But, it's been bothering me ever since. I don't ask people rude questions. I would expect the same courtesy in return.

That is a stupid question to ask someone..I can see why you would be aggravated by it. We need to make that walking stick into an automatic stupid people whopper. Then you could tell them it was to ward away the dummies...lol.

Amazing! I guess people just don't think or they want to make conversation and pick on the walking cane because talking about the weather is too boring. What a stupid question! You should give them a humerous answer such as I need it for protection or I like the shape and texture of the wood. Or you could ask them a question in return such as: what would you do with a a cane if you needed one? Yes, I have been asked a stupid question lately. I made an appointment with a dietician at my community health centre that has a diabetes education program. This was my first appointment with this person. I wanted to discuss with her different theories and books that I read regarding replacing most carbohydrates with either old grains or cutting them out altogether. These books were written by reputable North American medical doctors and I brought four of them along. Once the initial greeting was over and I was seated she asked me and I quote verbatim: "Do you know why you are here?" I was totally astonished by this question but I said: "I am here because I made an appointment with you." I then showed her the books and told her what I wanted to discuss with her. She laid the books aside, did not look at the title or author and proceeded to give me the official Canadian Diabetes Guidelines, which I knew already. She would not discuss anything else. I was polite and listened and then left totally frustrated. Did I know why I was there? Certainly not to get my questions answered.

Well no as I dont use one. I have a walker that was my hubbies and use it when we go to concerts down town very handy to carry my ice chest and hen set when I need too

I don't use my stick all the time but sometimes I need to. About a year ago, I was using it to walk to the post office. There are no footpaths and I sometimes feel quite doddery on my feet so I rely on a cane on the uneven ground. One of the older local women almost demanded to know why I was using a cane...as if I should not have been or as if she had any business knowing. She had walked on before I could think of something to say...I was so stunned.

I have the same problem with my walking stick. I've frequently been asked if it was a "pretension" on my part. Like an orthopedic walking stick is the height of style. I was struggling to get up some stairs in a mall once and a woman snapped, "Had one too many to drink have we?" I was so stunned that I didn't know what to say and she hurried off. Again, like a person goes out to get drunk and takes a walking stick with them, just in case they need the extra support.

"Enquiring minds" want to know... if you have a foot problem, a knee problem, a back problem...

Dawn's snappy answer to stupid question: "I use it to whack people who ask stupid questions." That will be 5 cents please. :D Yeah, I get stupid questions. And I almost never come up with the snappy response until much later. I think it was Miss Manners, or possibly Dear Abby or her sister, who recommended just saying, "whyever would you want to ask such a thing," accompanied by a whithering glance.

It really makes me mad when people behave in this way. The latest thing with me is my hair. I have grown it much longer but still above my shoulders. My hair is still very thick and I like it this length because I can push it behind my ears when I am at work and it is easy to maintain.Just a trim every 6 weeks. You would be surprised at how so many people are asking if I am wearing a wig. Once in church, I was sitting on the pew and a lady behind me actually gave my hair a really hard tug. When I turned around she just said that she was checking if I was wearing a wig or not. So what if I was wearing a wig? It is none of your business and you have no right to yank my hair like that.

Have you ever seen that comic routine called "Here's Your Sign?" It starts with something like - A trucker misjudged the height of an overpass and got the truck stuck. A passerby asked him "Did you get our truck stuck?" The man answers, "Nope, I'm supporting the broken overpass. Here's your sign" and hands the passerby a sign that reads STUPID. Well, dearest you're meeting the passersby who are asking dumb questions. Make up a smart remark to go back at them with, like "I'm testing wood for the Olypmic pole vault. Here's your sign." Then carry little business cards with you with nothing more than the word STUPID written on them and hand them out liberally. Some folks are given the ability to be gentle; others don't have the sense God gave a brick. Sadly those missing brick folks abound - so give 'em their sign! Hugs, Maggie

I think people ask things like that to just start a conversation. I wonder if it is because they are confortable, or just want you to turn around and say "here is your sign."

some people can be pretty tiring!i also have to use a stick and i have to explain to every other person why i use it,sometimes in think to carry a cassette and a taperecorder with me.......lol

Oh no, it happened to me again. I spent a few minutes typing out a response to this discussion and then I send it to post and I lose my connection to mylot and did all that typing for nothing and have to do it again. I wonder if it is because I am responding from old mylot digests I still have in my email box. Hmmm What I was saying in my unposted response was that I use a hiking cane when I go hiking because it just helps with my balance. My mom used to have to use a walking cane because she had a bad hip and after she had her hip replaced it was even worse and now she has to use a walker. She has some people ask her why she is using a walker when she is shopping and it always amazes her that someone would ask. Cheers, Chris

hi antique lady I know the feeling. For years I worked as a page in our local library. I had a two tiered metal cart full of books and was busily shelving them. this lady came up to me a nd first thing she said was do you work here? Duh. What the heck did she think I was doing? playing tiddley winks? of course I work there. I also have to use a quad cane mainly because as a diabetic I have a poor sense of balance and do not want to f all again. the last fall fractured my shoulder and caused me to have to have an artifical shoulder joint put in.So now I use a cane.Someone stopped me awhile back and asked me if I did not know it was unhealthy to be overweight? duh. I told her I have a mirror, I am not blind, and I have a doctor, and am under his care , and y es I am slowly losing weight,not that any of this is your business. the young woman turned scarlet and hurried off.lol

It's so annoying when people ask you question when the answer is obvious. You should say, "I have this stick to poke people who ask stupid questions," lol.

I have same experience here. My sister got pregnant while she was in college. After that, people in our area started asking over and over again if my sister got pregnant. Well, that is really irritating because they already know what happened but they keep on asking it. Good for them that I can control my emotion in front of them because if I couldn't I will yell at them and tell them, "What's the problem if my sister got pregnant? Does it bother you? Its none of your business!"