Dec3

control.

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when having snow tires put on my car

had an early appointment

brought my laptop and a giant coffee

to settle in for an hour and a half or so.

while waiting

i planned to write and read and catch up on things

knowing there is always something going on

with any group of fellow ‘waiters.’

i sat at a high table to make for easy typing

 most everyone else sat in the lower, more comfortable chairs

quite soon after my arrival, the ambiance changed.

on the left side in front of me

a woman sat down

in the seat next to the remote control for the tv

meant to help the time pass, amuse, and distract everyone.

she immediately took control of the controller

switching whatever channel had been on

to fox news.

the woman in the family to my right

politely asked if she would mind changing

the channel from fox to something else.

she said yes and all good

in no time

we were all watching baywatch reruns

in high def, on the big screen, 90s music pumping

those red bathing suited beauties

running on the beach, boating, emoting, doing pull-ups, rescues, looking hot, and whatnot

and david hasselhoff, the hoff.

the workers at the tire store desk were mesmerized

some young enough to never have seen it before

some old enough to have had the poster and remembering.

i refilled my coffee

 the channel was not changed again

throughout my entire (now 2 hour), wait.

new customers coming in had mixed reactions

what an early holiday surprise!

“of all men’s miseries the bitterest is this: to know so much and to have control over nothing.”

-herodotus

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79 responses »

  1. I never watched Baywatch, mainly because I worked shifts when it was shown. But it had legions of fans here, and Pammy was very ‘popular’.
    Snow tyres are not something we usually have to consider in England, but maybe one day…
    Best wishes, Pete.

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  3. The Hoff was hotter than hot back then! I only occasionally watched Baywatch, but I was a big fan of Knight Rider. When I go into places that have a TV playing for the customers, it is usually the local news, Food Network or HGTV. Not that I care, because I take my Kindle to places like that I don’t really notice the TV.

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  4. Is there a remote for the heater?

    I’m winter hibernating
    Inside an Eskimo’s hut
    Feeding only on fish oil
    And frozen blue blood
    My heart’s cold and dormant
    Wind-swept by a blizzard’s dust

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  7. Oh my…I think I’d be taking a lap around the building for sanity’s sake. Agree with Dave, below, though — nice that the lady changed the channel without a fuss. You never know how folks will react.

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  15. What a bone of contention that controller could have been. When I’ve been in similar situations, it never occurred to me to change the channel. I figured it was management’s choice — usually CNN or some insipid daytime talk show.

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  16. I wish I didn’t need a car at all, but tires are a necessary component of the private auto. At least I don’t need snow tires, but we have flooding problems and lots of potholes in Savannah, so my low-slung car has been through some water. I know about waits in tire dealers’ locations, and about the televisions, which are often on loud, and about other waiters. I’m a reader, so any machine noise distracts me. I will usually ask for people to turn down the TV or the music, and usually get compliance. When I’m alone in the room, I will turn the TV off.

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  20. I was just at the tire center recently, getting a new set of all-seasons. The existing tires had carried us as far as they could. The center did not have their tv on for some reason, but there was a pup in the lobby whose “dad” worked there. He served as all the amusement necessary as we waited for our cars to be completed. Fun time was had by all, including the doggie!

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  21. This almost always happens to me… I pack up, ready to write while I wait and then something else always takes control.
    baywatch was a good takeover though, especially since everyone else enjoyed it.

    I love that show

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  27. What a great, unexpected surprise. When I was waiting for my heart surgery, the same thing happened in the waiting room. Someone turned off the news and put on Magnum P.I. reruns. We were all glued and happy.

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  28. My gym has two floors. The upstairs room has two television sets, and it is an interesting case study in human behavior to watch how people treat TVs in a public place. Most people are usually respectful. I usually just prefer it off, but of course I say nothing when someone wants to watch. I find it presumptuous when someone walks in the room and changes a channel without asking others if they mind. One fellow has the most curious habit. He changes both televisions to Fox News before he goes downstairs. Quite amusing, considering he’s not watching either.🤣

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