First time I've felt embarrassed....

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fluffybottom
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#16 Post by fluffybottom »

Here's how the conversation should have gone!

Him: You've got braces on
You: Yes......
Him: Bit late, isn't it? Don't people normally get them when they're about 12?
You: And don't waiters usually like to receive tips or are you not that sort of waiter?

Or...

Him: You've got braces on
You: Yes. The better to bite you with, my dear.

Or...

Him: You've got braces on
You: No, I don't.

Or...

Him: You've got braces on
You: Your powers of observation are astounding. Tell me, what color is the sky?
Him: Blue?
You: You've done it again! Amazing!

Or...

Him: You've got braces on
You: Yes, but what I'd really like to talk about are the socioeconomic disparities between the classes in Eastern Europe. What are your thoughts?

...and so on and so forth.

:D
I had my braces on for 2 years, 1 month, 2 weeks and 2 days.

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Katarina527
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My opinion

#17 Post by Katarina527 »

That was so rude! I am 44, and I am so proud of my decision, you should be too! He was just a jealous little twerp, and I wouldn't give what he said or thought another second of your time! :P
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catfish
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#18 Post by catfish »

ROTFL - these suggestions are AWESOME! These are my faves:
fluffybottom wrote: Him: You've got braces on
You: No, I don't.
Meryaten wrote: Him: You've got braces on.
You: I DO??
HA HA HA!!!! These suggestions are great! Very funny!

Sure wish I could think of great comebacks like this "in the moment".

Thanks for the chuckle!
Click on WWW to see my braces story.

August 16, 2007 - Braced on top
January 3, 2008 - Braced on bottom

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Lisa65
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#19 Post by Lisa65 »

They are all brilliant. I do envy people who can come up with witty ripostes on the spot, as I can never think of anything till long after the moment has passed. :lol:

Andantae
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#20 Post by Andantae »

Hi Lisa,

Sorry to hear about terrible insensitivity of this young man. He's destined to learn the hard way about the impropriety of making personal comments to strangers--his parents obviously never saw the importance of teaching him. The unwitting remarks are often the ones that can really sting :cry: .

I will share with you an exhange which happened last Spring at a bonfire my hubby and I attended hosted by a couple of friends. The guy host (whom I normally really like) just stared at me when we walked up and said in front of a bunch of people.....

Him: "You got braces??
Me: "Yes."
Him with incredulity" "Why did you do that?"
Me: "Well, I have some bite issues."
Him: "Yeah, but aren't you were supposed to get those things when you're younger?"
Me: "Yes. That's why I didn't want to put it off any longer."
:lol: :twisted:

I'm 48 Lisa and I hope I never, never reach the day when I feel like I'm too old to do something to better myself! I know what you mean, though, it made me question if I was doing something on the extreme of norm when he made that comment, and sometimes I feel like I just look dorky, but that is the rare day. Most of the time I feel pretty happy about how good my teeth are looking already and one day in the not too distant future, we are going to have to remember what it was like to wear braces!

Ignore the ignorant man-boy. He's clueless, but might not be so stupified the next time he sees an adult in braces, I just wish it wasn't at the expense of your feelings.
Braced 5-30-07 for 18-24 months
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100% Deep Bite, Crowding, Over Extrusion
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"Truth is a bully we all pretend to like." Gregory David Roberts -SHANTARAM

pearls
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#21 Post by pearls »

Lisa, I hope you left that restaurant and went to another one right away! A strange person should never make a comment like that on your braces, especially when they are representing another company at work.

I'm 20, and have been braced for 5 months, but haven't had any bad comments on my braces yet. Sometimes I feel a bit silly if I serve a customer at work who is about 12, and we both have braces, but then I remember how proud I am of myself that I have braces and forget about it.

Those responses are all very funny in hindsight, if only we were witty enough to be quick to repsond with such an answer! Your response was good though. You didn't show him any offense to his comment, even though it was innapropriate.
Spacers in: 9/4/2008
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ccrisis
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#22 Post by ccrisis »

as far as anyone thinking it's a bit late:

You're only 43. The teeth you have need to last at least another 40 years!!!

You should have been embarassed for him and not for yourself.
Braced 03-09-07
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Andantae
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#23 Post by Andantae »

:lol: :lol: Another good one Meryaten.

I've also told some people that I was going for a more youthful look but that I might have overshot the mark a bit. :wink:
Braced 5-30-07 for 18-24 months
In-Ovation Uppers, Metal Lowers, TPA upper arch, Lower Lingual arch, no elastics.
100% Deep Bite, Crowding, Over Extrusion
BSSO & Genio surgery June 4th '08!


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"Truth is a bully we all pretend to like." Gregory David Roberts -SHANTARAM

davidspd
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Location: Manchester, UK

#24 Post by davidspd »

Hi Lisa65, just had to add my support and say unfortunately some people are just jerks. I work in the NHS and had a young (19) patient who i'd only just met say to me "I didn't think you could have braces when you were OLD" :roll: (i'm only 43 and like yourself generally look younger). No witty reposte from me either sadly.

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KARESS
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#25 Post by KARESS »

When I had to wear elastics 24/7 one of my co workers said I looked like a geek..I guess I looked at him like :twisted: before I could stop myself & he changed his mind and was like "just kidding"

That's the only time someone said something negative about my braces.
This one girl usually calls me "braceface" but she does it jokingly.

But the waiter was out of order
you are good to handle the situation the way that you did
I might have gotten rude with him, lol.
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Gennel
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#26 Post by Gennel »

A bit late?
my response " Better late than never, I'd like to order please?"

That was a bit too many negative/sarcastic questions .
I've only had 1 person in 27 months ask me "What made you decide to get braces now? My answer was the truth " Because I finally have the money to do something about it now" Actually it made the person asking ,feel uncomfortable lol not me :)

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Jill52
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#27 Post by Jill52 »

Hi Lisa and all, hilarious suggestions and what you might have said! I'll try and remember some of them.

I've got a ticket to visit England and France again for Christmas, but I'm actually going to change it for the very reason you talk about. I had half the village youth in England making fun of me when I visited last June - why would you bother at your age kind of comments (I'm 52). I didn't get too upset by it, but now in hindsight and with the choice, I'm going to wait until my braces are off next summer.

It is such a contrast over here in California. Just last week someone at work noticed for the first time and said something along the lines of - hey that's great, good for you. That's the standard response over here, which of course is very nice and encouraging.
Braced March 20 2008
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Lisa65
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#28 Post by Lisa65 »

Oh Jill, don't let one rude waiter in one Indian restaurant in one small town put you off your trip. I work in a secure unit for mentally ill offenders - rapists, murderers, arsonists and worse - and not one of them has ever said anything rude! One of them even asked me how much they'd cost, because he wanted to save up to get them when he got out.

Normally people do not say anything. They might look twice, but our typical British reserve means that mostly, people are too polite to comment.

Kerry
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Re: First time I've felt embarrassed....

#29 Post by Kerry »

Lisa65 wrote:I've had braces for just over 2 years now, and I've got so used to them that I never think about the reactions of other people anymore. Plus I've only ever had either interested or positive comments.

But tonight, we went out for a curry because my husband is going away tomorrow for work until the end of Oct. The young Indian waiter (he was about 20) looked at me and said
"You've got braces on"
"Yes......"
"Bit late, isn't it? Don't people normally get them when they're about 12"
"Well, my parents couldn't afford them when I was 12"
"Yeah, but it would've been free on the NHS, wouldn't it?"
"Well, when I was 12, braces were pretty much unheard of...."
"oh, I guess you're talking about like.....ages ago......OK" and off he went.

I am 43 but look maybe 35 in a good light. But it made me wonder, does everyone in the UK who notices braces on an adult think "They are wasting their time and money at their age?"

I'm not good at thinking up witty remarks and he caught me unawares because people normally do not comment at all.

So was he just exceptionally tactless and am I just being exceptionally insecure in letting what he said get to me? Or was he saying what most people think, but are too polite to say? It just made me wonder, that's all. :? I'm doing this for me, and I'll have a nice smile at the end of it (I hope) but I don't want to be a laughing stock while I'm in the process.

I guess I'm just extra sensitive cos of hubs going away.
Personally i think alot more people should sort there teeth out, just because your an adult its doesnt mean you shouldnt have braces.

we should follow america a little more and people should really start worrying about there teeth and want to improve them, it shouldnt be something that is embarrasing it should be something you are proud of afterall whos goign to look stunning at the end of it all not them but you !
Imagewisdom teeth removed under GA nov07 * Braced 8/2/08 * 2 premolars removed Apr08 * Adjustment 4 rebonding, 4 molar bands & new wire 4/7/08 * 31Jul wire change * 28 Aug last wire fitted and lower powerchain put on. 29th May moulds and x rays. 31st July Surgery date :-)

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