Would You Have Been Offended?

Flowers in my garden last year.
By Jabo
@jaboUK (64354)
United Kingdom
March 20, 2019 9:37am CST
My Irish father-in-law was full of quaint sayings such as "she could clip a hedge with her tongue" and "a bird never flew on one wing". This latter was in response to being asked if he'd like another drink. When I first met him his first words to me were - "Bejasus, you're a fine doorful of a woman!" I wasn't fat - honest. I thought his choice of words very odd, but funny, and accepted it as the compliment I thought he intended. Would you have been offended? Picture of flowers in my garden last year.
52 people like this
55 responses
• United States
20 Mar 19
I don't think I'd be offended as I'm sure he meant it as a compliment.
4 people like this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
20 Mar 19
He did indeed mean it as a compliment, so I'm glad that I didn't take offence.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (220275)
• Walnut Creek, California
21 Mar 19
@jaboUK That's what I figured.
2 people like this
@DianneN (247184)
• United States
20 Mar 19
Such beautiful flowers! Love how they delicately hand over the wall. With an Irishman, I would not be offended. We have one in the family and get a kick out of his word choices and phrases.
3 people like this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
20 Mar 19
They have a language alll of their own, don't they? My husband's people were all Irish, though he was born in England.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
20 Mar 19
@DianneN Lol - so do the Americans!
1 person likes this
@DianneN (247184)
• United States
20 Mar 19
@jaboUK To me, the English have a language all of their own, too!
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112983)
• El Paso, Texas
20 Mar 19
I would have laughed. Of course a lot would depend on the expression on his face.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112983)
• El Paso, Texas
20 Mar 19
He must have been so fun to be around @jaboUK
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
20 Mar 19
I did laugh after my first inital reaction, and his expression was full of mischief.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
20 Mar 19
@rebelann He was a real character.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121729)
• Gainesville, Florida
21 Mar 19
I never let any words offend me, even if they are meant to shake me to my inner core. I'll just laugh at any words intended to be offensive. I don't let them bother me.
2 people like this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
21 Mar 19
I try to do that too, but in this case there was no malicious intent. He really did mean it as a compliment
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121729)
• Gainesville, Florida
21 Mar 19
@jaboUK I'm glad that you saw it for what it was.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (117146)
• Anniston, Alabama
21 Mar 19
No, not if he was famous for those sayings
2 people like this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
21 Mar 19
Well since this was my first meeting with him I didn't know if he was or not
@Daljinder (23236)
• Bangalore, India
21 Mar 19
I find them strange. That strangeness alone would have stopped me from being offended as I would be wondering in my head what he was saying.
2 people like this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
21 Mar 19
Exactly, and once I'd realised he was trying to be nice it was fine.
2 people like this
• Pamplona, Spain
21 Mar 19
If he had said that to me I would find it funny. I don´t usually make statements like that unless I really know the said person. I have been surrounded by Irish people all of my life and the funniest one to me at least was he said if I had been twenty years younger I would have married you instead not saying who that was. A Welshman I knew always came out with funny things not saying what a bit naughty but nice.
1 person likes this
• Pamplona, Spain
21 Mar 19
@jaboUK Sure and that is the way they talk as well. I think he meant you were spectacular but in his way of putting it across. I don´t think he meant it any other way.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
21 Mar 19
That was funny what that Irishman said to you. I thought this about the doorful was funny too once I got over my in initial reaction
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
21 Mar 19
1 person likes this
@tammys85 (30132)
• Baltimore, Maryland
21 Mar 19
If he meant it as a compliment, I probably wouldn't have been offended, but it's hard to say without actually being in the situation (especially since I'm sensitive).
1 person likes this
@tammys85 (30132)
• Baltimore, Maryland
28 Mar 19
@jaboUK Oh that's good, that he was complimenting you. Some people just have their own way of wording things.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
28 Mar 19
@tammys85 They do indeed.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
21 Mar 19
I decided that he did mean it as a compliment and it turned out that I was right.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61101)
• United States
20 Mar 19
Lol I guess it would have depended on the size of the door
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61101)
• United States
22 Mar 19
@jaboUK well I am a little off center lol
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
22 Mar 19
@BelleStarr You are indeed
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
21 Mar 19
Lol - you're the first person to have thought of that!
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (472078)
• Switzerland
20 Mar 19
I think that the interpretation of JJ is right, it was meant to say you were enjoyable to see. It was definitely a compliment, I would have not been offended.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
20 Mar 19
Yes, it was a compliment, it was just a funny way of putting it
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (472078)
• Switzerland
20 Mar 19
@jaboUK You are right, it was an unusual way, but I am sure you appreciated.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
20 Mar 19
@LadyDuck I did. He was a lovely man.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (220275)
• Walnut Creek, California
20 Mar 19
Fine doorful. Hmm. I dunno.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
20 Mar 19
You tryin' to be unkind to me???
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
21 Mar 19
@TheHorse Not quite
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (220275)
• Walnut Creek, California
20 Mar 19
@jaboUK Um, you don't take up a whole doorway, do you?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (342171)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Mar 19
I would have laughed at the oddness of the expression. I'm sure he meant it as a compliment.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
21 Mar 19
I laughed too once I'd got over my original reaction. He did indeed mean it as a compliment.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
21 Mar 19
@JudyEv Lol . You've got some good trips planned for this year Judy.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (342171)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Mar 19
@jaboUK We've ;just booked a cottage in southern Ireland and the owner has emailed directions on how to get there. Already the classic 'if you get to x then you've gone too far' has come up.
1 person likes this
22 Mar 19
Nah. He's very witty and funny. I'd feel honoured to have met an elderly man who was happy to see me and I made him happy.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
22 Mar 19
@everwonderwhy Lol - I never was tiny except when I was a babe in arms! I'm quite tall.
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
22 Mar 19
That was my reaction too after I got over the confusion of wondering what he meant.
1 person likes this
22 Mar 19
@jaboUK Maybe he meant, "Welcoming" He was feeling happy about the reception when you offered him another drink. That could be it. And you were slim and tiny.
1 person likes this
• Santiago, Chile
23 Mar 19
Yeah I guess he meant that you looked nice and as good as a woman would look like. But not offensive. Sometimes people choose the wrong words to express what they mean. It has happened to me before, and I screwed it up. LOL
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
24 Mar 19
Yes, he wasn't being offensive it turned out - he just had an odd choice of words.
1 person likes this
• Santiago, Chile
24 Mar 19
@jaboUK Well, at least that's what I understood. I hope you get along with your father-in-law!
1 person likes this
• Santiago, Chile
24 Mar 19
@jaboUK Oh God, I am sorry, I really am I shouldn't have asked. My bad!
1 person likes this
@much2say (56087)
• Los Angeles, California
20 Mar 19
Doorful? If I am not mistaken, you are on the taller side? I was thinking maybe he meant that perhaps? But he did say "fine" - that would be a compliment - and I guess his tone would tell me if he was being affectionately funny - which was the case. I have always been the short one - I don't get offended by the height (or lack of) jokes anymore .
1 person likes this
@much2say (56087)
• Los Angeles, California
22 Mar 19
@jaboUK That is even taller than my dad !
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
20 Mar 19
Yes, I'm reasonably tall and would certainly appear so to Mick - he was a jockey and only about 5ft 3".
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
23 Mar 19
@much2say Gosh - he must have been small.
@SIMPLYD (90721)
• Philippines
4 Apr 19
No, i won;t because he does it in a jokeful words. At first it didn't down on me that doorful of a woman means a fat woman.
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90721)
• Philippines
8 Apr 19
@jaboUK See? !
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
4 Apr 19
Yes, it turned out that he didn't mean to imply I was fat
1 person likes this
• China
21 Mar 19
Interesting ! Those old sayings were kept alive in his mouth.Was the saying "can't see a hole in a ladder" said by him ?
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
21 Mar 19
Yes, he was full of these sort of sayings. The one about the ladder was "he couldn't hit a hole in a ladder" - said about someone who's aim was poor. Well remembered Chang
1 person likes this
• China
22 Mar 19
@jaboUK I wrote it down on my notebook then.
1 person likes this
@jobelbojel (36025)
• Philippines
21 Mar 19
I don't think I will be offended. If I know him, I would not be offended.
1 person likes this
@jobelbojel (36025)
• Philippines
24 Mar 19
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
21 Mar 19
It was because I didn't know him that I wasn't sure of his intent. But he meant no offence.
1 person likes this
@just4him (317238)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
25 Mar 19
No, I wouldn't have been offended. Interesting sayings. I understand them, even never hearing them before.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
25 Mar 19
Yes he was full of those sayings and I could usually work out what he meant.
1 person likes this
@just4him (317238)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
26 Mar 19
@jaboUK That's great you could.
1 person likes this
@dya80dya (36769)
21 Mar 19
It seems a compliment. I wouldn't be offended.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
22 Mar 19
Once I realised that he meant it as a compliment I wasn't offended. The remark just took me aback at first.
1 person likes this
@dya80dya (36769)
22 Mar 19
@jaboUK I understand, at first you don't know what to think.
1 person likes this