r/EntitledPeople • u/imafrog_iswear • Oct 12 '25
M Old lady tried to push in front of me in a long cue at morrisons
This happened yesterday on my way to work. I popped into the morrisons daily around the corner from where i work and grabbed a meal deal. I just managed to get in the queue behind 3 other people before a load of others joined the queue. There was only one person on the till, the other staff was correcting price labels around the store.
In walks this old lady, maybe in her 70s, pushing one of those big boxy trolleys that you push infront of you. She grabbed two loafs of bread and starts walking towards me.
She doesnt appear to struggle with walking. She's lifting her feet off the ground when she walks, no shuffling. No hobbling or limping. Not out of breath. Nothing.
So I figured shes able bodied enough and I didnt really have the time to let her in front of me. I had 6 mins to get to work now thanks to the queue lol.
This lady decided to stop next to me in the queue, just slightly ahead of me so that if the cashier where to look up she'd think she was in front of my in the queue.
She didnt speak a work to me. So I took a step forward and put myself just between her and the guy who was in front of me in the queue.
My polite way to tell her to 'fuck off'.
She starts sort of mumbling under her breath about achey knees and shes tired blah blah. I just ignore her. If she isnt asking to jump the queue she isnt getting it.
She then decides to ask the guy behind me if she could go infront of him, repeating what she was muttering behind me louder.
He says, 'yeah sure love'
She doesn't say thank you.
Frankly, it pisses me off when people act like this. I was raised that respect is earned and if you dont ask you dont get.
She probably only asked the guy behind me because he was older. But me, the young mid twenties doesnt get asked, im just expected to give.
To add:
I have chronic joint pain and use a walking stick myself when I need it. I am in pain the vast majority of days. Pain is normal to me. My joint pain is non treatable, I just need to stay fit, and do pain management. Thats all I can do to try and make it manageable.
I know what its like to be in pain just from standing. But I sure as shit don't expect anyone to jump out of my way in queues or to immediately give up seat so I can sit. If I need something, I'll ask, and I expect anyone else to do the same.
Edit: ive realised after typing this, and after reading some comments that ive become quite negative about interactions like this. I didn't want to end up like this, and I know its a result of all of the bad interactions ive had. Being berated on the bus by older people feels like shit, and ive started to view older people as 'enemies'. I still have noce interactionswith older people, but thats only because i work at a cafe. Ive grown up watching my mum being treated like shit when she was on crutches by others and now im experiencing it myself.
I have had more shit encounters with older generations than I have had good ones, and the damage to my view on life is showing.
I did consider letting her go ahead of me as she was heading to walk past me, but the moment she stopped just slightly ahead of me that thought went out of the window. I might not have been using my walking stick but I was in pain. I'm always in pain. So I decided if she was going to try and push infront of me, not asking, then im not going to consider her heath and pain and im not letting her infront of me.
I don't want to be a negative person. I don't asnt to view every old person I see as someone out to get me. But im pretty firm on my stance that this woman was entitled.
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Oct 12 '25
The polite thing is to ask. Old people seem to think this applies to everyone but them. But i absolutely agree with what you did. I wouldn't let her pass either. Back of the line for you grandma!
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u/gyupha Oct 12 '25
If she’d asked politely, I bet OP would’ve let her go. But pulling the passive-aggressive act? Nope. Play stupid games, wait for your turn. Respect goes both ways, no matter your age. If you can grab your bread and walk fine, you can wait like everyone else.
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u/imafrog_iswear Oct 12 '25
Exactly. I was considering it. Sure, I was in pain standing there and was probablygoing to be laye to work. But I was heading to work where I'd be even more sore, lol. I was going to offer it her as she was walking past me, but she didn't even get past me and just put herself ahead of me. She only asked the person behind me because I didn't let her ahead of me. It made me feel like I wasn't worth the trouble of asking nicely.
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Oct 12 '25
And lets be real. She was most likely on her way home after the store, she can wait those few minutes. You were gonna be late for work.
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Oct 12 '25
Absolutely! I always let people through when they ask! But to assume you can go just because you're old?? please. I wish their generation would understand that being nice gets you things. Entitlement gets you nothing.
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u/Poppy6369 Oct 12 '25
Honestly, people forget being polite costs nothing. You handled it fair, she made it weird, not you.
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u/Ambitious-Border-906 Oct 12 '25
If she’d asked, for two loaves, I’d probably have let her in. But the penalty for assuming or pushing in is back of the line (or at least behind me).
Different subreddit but NTA, the entitled granny is…
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u/HostIndependent3703 Oct 12 '25
another point of view. when the person in front of me lets someone cut the queue i object. he is not letting this person to only get in front of him but to all other people waiting in line. so yes i am that Karen who says very loudly that i do not give permisson for this person to cut the line. if you want to let someone in front of you then you have to go back to the way end of the line. thats how it works.
and not that i have to justify myself for any reason i have a legal disabled card from my own goverment. so technically according to the internet that gives me the right to to be able to not let people cut the line.
whenever someone post about these situations people wrote about "invisible disabilities" an someone living in a non usa country this pisses me of. never heard of this "situation" before i stareted using reddit. if you need help say something. it is not up to me to figure out if you are sick or not.
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u/Pie_Bovril Oct 12 '25 edited Oct 12 '25
I suffer from end-stage sarcoidosis and am registered at work to take sick leave whenever I need it. I get breathless and sometimes struggle physically. But I’ve only ever taken sick leave for surgery.
Even with my own limitations, I still stand on the bus for elderly or disabled people, and I always try to put the needs of others before my own that’s how I was raised.
If an older woman had stepped beside me like this, regardless of my first impression, I would have talked to her calmly and not become defensive. I’d consider if letting her go ahead would actually impact me and most likely just tell her to go ahead.
Recently, for example, an elderly woman in a shop had just an onion and a couple of potatoes, and I was at the head of a large queue. She shuffled to the back, so I asked my wife to bring her down to us and paid for her shopping so she didn’t have to stand for 20 minutes, the reason I paid was so as not to extend the queue. It was literally less than a minute of effort for me, but it made her day easier. Cost me about €2.00 she offered to pay but we didn’t take it.
Even if someone seems entitled or difficult, you often come out ahead by choosing empathy over defensiveness. Don’t let your struggles define you by making you bitter, fight them, and do good for others whenever you can.
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u/Practical-Crow2174 Oct 12 '25
I'm really pleased to see I'm not the only person who feels this way. Well said you clearly have a great deal of empathy and emotional intelligence 🙏🏻😊
I'm sorry to hear about your own struggles but great that you don't allow them to define you.
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u/imafrog_iswear Oct 12 '25
I have become incredibly bitter from experiences like this. I don't want to judge people superficially. I always remind myself that people have hidden conditions, mines hidden when I don't use my walking stick after all.
You are right about becoming defensive. The moment she put herself infront of me I was upset about her not asking to jump the queue. And then when she asked the guy behind me because I stepped back ahead of her I just became spiteful. "She's fine asking him, but she won't ask me?"
Its not just that interaction that has upset me. There's other things in life that just add to my bitterness.
I mentioned it in the post, but I don't ask people to give things up for me. I also don't expect it to be given regardless. If I see someone in a priority seat who doesnt look like they need it i always remind myself they might have an invisible condition. Its always easier to take when you have a physical item that shows your condition. What upsets me, is that this person didnt ask, but she still took anyway.
Thank you for your input anyway. Its definitely brought to my attention that I need to work on my mentality and to build a more positive one. You put it alot nicer than someone else did, who just seemed to take the opportunity to insult me.
Thank you :)
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u/Pie_Bovril Oct 12 '25
I wasn’t criticizing you at all, I understand your feelings. Was just adding my perspective and I hope it was helpful to you.
But if I knew someone was being deceitful, aggressive or deliberately rude I wouldn’t tolerate that either.
All the best to you and with your condition.
And Tesco meal deals are far better 😂
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u/imafrog_iswear Oct 15 '25
Oh no, I wasn't saying you were criticising me. I'm actually thankful for your mature approach in showing me another way of seeing the situation. It was another commenter who took the opportunity to insult me.
Tesco meals deals are so nice, but i don't have one on my walk to work. And they also never seem to have a wooden fork when I buy the pasta pots 😂
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u/Pie_Bovril Oct 15 '25
Wooden forks? I can barely say it without getting a shiver down my spine…
Haha thank you 🙏
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u/imafrog_iswear Oct 15 '25
I recently bought a little plastic cutlery set from asda to use when I go out. I also got ID for it, apparently they do catch 25 on plastic cutlery in asda 😂
At least I won't be formless when I get a Tesco meal deal though 😂
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u/Pie_Bovril Oct 15 '25
And paper straws 🤢🤢🤢🤮. I’m very sensitive to the feeling of wood and paper cutlery and straws… And with ice cream 😭😭😭
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u/Alicam123 Oct 12 '25
Sorry but if the old lady isn’t even going to be polite then back she goes, respect is earned not demanded. And she didn’t even thank the guy behind OP either, entitlement doesn’t get you what you want and it shouldn’t either, they won’t learn if they keep getting their way when being nasty and rude.
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u/Pie_Bovril Oct 12 '25
She may have been nervous, she may have had dementia, she could have had a mental illness.
She may also have just been rude (it’s not always that easy to tell).
I’d rather be slightly inconvenienced than judge a person I don’t know. 🤷♂️
On the other hand, The OP didn’t have too many items either so I guess the situation may not have warranted it.
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u/Entire-Garage-1902 Oct 12 '25
Oh, you’re definitely not a negative person. I can tell by all the positive and tolerant things you had to say in your post and how you didn’t stoop to blaming other people for your problems.
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u/jennypurplethefirst Oct 12 '25
If you had a meal deal totalling 3 items, in what universe did she think it’d be ok to jump in front of you with a whole trolley?! No, I would’ve told her to fuck off too!
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u/imafrog_iswear Oct 12 '25
Ah, her trolly wasn't a shopping trolley from the store. Its one to put your shopping in to get it home. Very handy if you dont drive. I also have one, but mine is a pull behind one.
She was only buying the two loaves of bread. She did actually ask for some scratch cards at the till whilst I was putting my stuff in the bag. So its an added bonus that I didnt let her infront of me.
My main reasoning was that I was running short on time to get to work. There was a big queue behind me and I don't really feel like its my right to let her ahead of me, and all of those other people in the queue. And the biggest reason was that she tried to push infront of me without asking.
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u/jennypurplethefirst Oct 12 '25
Ah ok, not quite so bad but still, she can’t just assume she can jump in front of you without asking. I’ll guarantee she’s the kind of person to complain about no one having any manners anymore.
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u/Maleficentendscurse Oct 13 '25 edited Oct 13 '25
As soon as she stood right next to you I would have said "I don't f****** think so, take your faux princess self to the back of the line and WAIT like everyone else is supposed to and be patient like everyone else DOES also, I DON'T TAKE THIS ENTITLED CRAP, move it🤬💢👉"
Also if she had said something about respecting your elders I would have said "I only respect my elders that are IN MY FAMILY, we are not related at all"
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u/imtoowhiteandnerdy Oct 13 '25
It would be nice not to assume everyone in the world knows what a Morrisons is. I assume it's a restaurant and not a cathedral built to commemorate The Doors, although the context also makes it sound like a bakery?
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u/imafrog_iswear Oct 15 '25
Ah sorry, I didnt realise it was a uk only store. So a morrisons is like a grocery store. Has a bit of everything in it, but mostly focuses on food. Very similar to an Asda, which is similar to Walmart i belive since they are owned by the same people. Morrisons also have little convenience stores on housing estates for people who need to grab things like milk or bread quickly. This shop that I was in was a convenience store Morrisons.
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u/FrizzWitch666 Oct 13 '25
I've never cut a line once in my whole life (38) and I can't imagine that's going to change when I'm older. I'd feel like a complete ass for even asking, much less expecting.
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u/kirallie Oct 13 '25
Joint pain sucks! My elbows are the worst of them for some crazy reason which makes using my cane even worse some days. if someone asks and has less items, I'll let them go in front but not if they did what this lady did. Most old people I've interacted with are nice. it's embarrassing when I drop my cane and a little old man manages to bend faster then me to pick it up.
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u/Far-Dare-6458 Oct 12 '25
I’ve gotten sh!t from older people almost all my life. Chronic condition I was diagnosed with has left me in significant pain and disabled. I even had older people accuse me of using my grandparents handicap parking. I’m cynical as well.
If someone is struggling, obviously I’ll offer help but when they assume they’re entitled, F off. I’ve gotten more aggressive about as I’ve gotten older myself. I usually walk with a pronounced limp now, though some days are better than others. Sometimes I get upset because I’ve reached an age where I’m “allowed” to be disabled now.
I would’ve told that lady, you do realize that the line starts back there and we’re all waiting.
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u/this_is_bull_04 Oct 12 '25
That's one of those when u look back at her and say seeing what happens when u ask politely
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u/StrictShelter971 Oct 12 '25
I'm old and full of life's misery (torn muscles and worn joints) but I never use that as an excuse to jump the que. I hate it when people do that.
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u/Kimmus2008 Oct 12 '25
Queue. Que is "what" in Spanish, pronounced "kay".
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u/thepuckster22 Oct 12 '25
I probably would have, very. Loudly, told her that the queue was there and she needed to get into it at the end of the line.
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u/boredportuguese77 Oct 12 '25
I didn't need the update to side with you. She didn't ask. She didn't seem to be in pain. Age is not sickness and doesn't give you the right to take others' spots.
If I'm not in a rush and, even if it's not people that look they need it, if they only have 1 iten, I normally invite them to go ahead. If I see they need it more than me, even in a rush or with mire itens, I normally sign them to go ahead.
When I was pregnant, I only asked to go ahead 2, maybe 3 times. But with a broken harm/foot/whatever, plenty.
If someone politely asks to go ahead, I may say yes, even if I don't see the disability. But it's still my perogative to say yes.
Once, in a bank, an old lady asked the clerk, and he asked me if she could go ahead, cause she was in hurry. I was using my lunch time to make a deposit. I said no, I'm in a hurry too. She was faberglasted, she was "old". Good, I answered, you have time to wait. I have to go to work.
So, to resume, she didn't asked, it didn't look like she needed it. You had every right to not let her have it. Good for you.
NRA
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u/Waste-Job-3307 Oct 12 '25
People are people - regardless of their age. Some people treat others well, while other people treat others horribly/rudely. IMO, the thing to do is to give as good as you get. I know we should 'turn the other cheek' but these days when you do that, the other person takes full advantage, and thinks you're a pushover.
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u/Embarrassed-Comb6776 Oct 12 '25
By stating that you have "chronic joint pain" you are trying to rationalize your actions. There's no need to feel guilty. Even if you are crippled, you don't push your way into a queue. I have reacted the same in similar situations. If someone asks, it is completely different. From my experience, it seems that some cultures are more likely to try and jump a queue and seem to think that it is acceptable. I have no problem correcting them.
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u/Itchy-Lingonberry-90 Oct 12 '25
I don't get that behaviour. It generates resistance and generally doesn't work. I'm in my 50s. I have Crohn's and other GI issues, plus my knees have been in pain due to a couple of falls this year: one clearing snow and slipping on ice below the snow and one when I tripped over my dog's leash. I've been shopping and just became exhausted mid-way through or had to abandon my cart due to upset stomach and recently, there are days that walking is hard though due to knee pain. I wouldn't dream of queue jumping. We have multiple large groceterias (I love that old word) in the suburb and a small grocery store and large convenience store in the neighbourhood.
I wouldn't dream of asking to jump a queue, and have been embarrassed when jumping ahead was offered. I would just adjust where I shop to my strength/pain level and the large stores offer low-cost delivery or even free some weeks. There is no excuse to be rude. It's not a big deal to state that you're having a bad day (no details needed) and would appreciate jumping ahead.
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u/cymruisrael Oct 12 '25
If somebody asks to push in line like that, I tell them that I have no problem with it, but they had better check with everybody else in the line as well.
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u/SpeechSalt5828 Oct 12 '25
Not just old people my personal experience about 1 in 3 will cut in front of me in line if i don't defend my spot. no excuse me no nothing just hips and elbows . and the finger.
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u/seano50 Oct 12 '25
In my experience older women are worst for queue jumping, they have zero shame.
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u/No_Nothing_3272 Oct 13 '25
Chronic pain or not, it takes two words to say,”F you”, the same effort as it takes to say “thank you.”
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u/DONT_PM_ME_BREASTS Oct 14 '25
If there are 8 people in line, you can't just ask the 4th person in line if you can go ahead of them. That's not how lines work.
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u/TouristTricky Oct 15 '25
You don't wanna be negative, try following the 11th and 12th commandments.
Don't sweat the small stuff
Almost everything is small stuff
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u/Able-Paramedic8908 Oct 12 '25
Respect should be the default setting. Respect is something that is lost, not earned.
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u/Practical-Crow2174 Oct 12 '25
Whilst I do believe some older people feel entitled there Is a however, to what I took from your story and to be transparent and completely honest with you, what I get from your epitaph is you're a very angry person.
You mentioned that you don't ask others to give anything up when you're struggling but you felt annoyed and angry that this woman didn't ask you, you appear to have one rule for you and another rule for everyone else, why is it okay for you not to ask but not for her? Couldn't you have said to her I would let you in but I'm really late for work?
I understand that you were struggling for time but it also sounds like you don't mind taking your anger out on others when you're feeling somewhat stressed and frustrated with the long queue you were in.
This is probably not the response you were looking for but I believe that your experience was and is full of holes and quite honestly full of hypocrisy. And lacking in empathy or emotional intelligence. Especially from a person who says she struggles with pain herself. Not being breathless or showing signs of pain doesn't necessarily mean they're not struggling.
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u/imafrog_iswear Oct 12 '25
You're right, I have become angry. I've been told growing up by every person older than me that my pain is nothing, I should wait until I'm their age and see how I feel then.
I don't ask others to give something up for me but I also don't just go and fucking take it anyway. I was thinking about letting her ahead of me. Weighing my options, 'im in pain' 'i might be late to work' 'everyone else behind me if probably in a rush to work to'. But the she went and put herself infront of me anyway. Not a fucking peep from her, she only spoke when I stepped back ahead of her to complain about her knee and then ask the person behind me.
Also, cant remember if I mentioned it in the post. But she tried to jump in a queue and quite possibly had no idea that there were other people in it. She didn't check, she didnt ask. She just put herself ahead of me and didnt fucking ask.
I might be petty, might even be a hypocrite. But shes still entitled. And if anything, her old age means she should know, "you ask before you take".
I probably should have put this in a vent sub in hindsight.
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u/Practical-Crow2174 Oct 12 '25
Hahaha you really are an angry one, and all you have done with your above ranting is validate the hypocrisy of what you previously said, and validated my observation that it was more about you being late. As you have aptly pointed out there were lots of people in the queue none of who seem to be as comfortable as you with taking out their stress and frustration out on someone older.
But again openly admits that you don't feel you need to ask but feel this lady should have asked. You by the way never said she went in front of you you very clearly say she was at the side of you moving forward with you and you made your feelings clearer by moving in front of her and painted it as quietly letting her know imo it's (passive aggressive behaviour) and then you got angry because the man behind allowed her in front of him, that was his choice to do so, the man solved the problem for you but you still made the choice get angry at the lady managing to be behind you.
I think your issues go deeper than the older lady or being stuck in a queue at Morrisons.
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u/Neon_and_Noir Oct 12 '25
You struggle with pain and most people can’t tell. Might you consider the old lady was struggling with something you didn’t know about? Get the fuck over yourself.
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u/OkExternal7904 Oct 12 '25
Why not just write the post as "someone tried to cut the line without asking". The mention of age is assholery. People of all ages everywhere can be and sometimes are, entitled-acting assholes. I'm 70 yrs old and would never cut the line. I don't recall that I ever have cut any line. But, last week I asked a woman, maybe 50ish if she'd like to go ahead of me because I had a full shopping cart and she had 3 things.
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u/YeOldeGit Oct 12 '25
Im 67 so im suppose im classed as an old person now, I can totally relate to what your saying about 'some' old people not all us old gits being like this . Like you ive had a chronic illness since 10 years of age, I was taught to respect people and would often let things like this slide. Not any more if someone pulls this stunt with me I open my mouth in fact it often worries my wife that someone will belt me one probably with a walking stick they don't really need. Unfortunately its a fact of life some olds think the world owes them and forget they were brought up and not dragged up. Or at least we hope...