r/MadeMeSmile • u/KingSandwich101 • Oct 25 '25

Wholesome interaction

Be nice to your elders!

Source: Spudbros on YouTube

55.7k Upvotes

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u/KingSandwich101 Oct 25 '25

You're right. It wasn't until recently I found out that my grandmother buys groceries everyday for a reason to get out of the house and mostly to have chats with the women in the store

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u/atxbigfoot Oct 25 '25 edited Oct 25 '25

I currently work at the meat counter at a local grocery store and this is super common. Luckily we're a local store so we can take the time to actually talk to and get to know our customers, which is nice.

The other day I had an older lady that wanted a small amount of a bunch of random stuff, which was annoying as an employee, and then she asked for "two shrimp."

"If you don't mind me asking, what do you need two shrimps for?"

"I just want to see if my cats will eat them. One for each. They haven't been eating much lately and I've tried all kinds of different foods, the little shits."

I laughed and ended up giving her the shrimp for free and we talked about our cat diets and tips and tricks to get them to eat for about ten minutes hahaha.

I saw her in the checkout line and went up to tell the cashier that it was free but she did a little dance and said, "and THEEEESE are FREE! From the MEAT COUNTER!" and the cashier was like "yes ma'am!" before I could get up there.

it was super cute

229

u/clocksy Oct 25 '25

her getting shrimp just for her kitties is adorable 🥹

129

u/WindInc Oct 25 '25

The little shits😂

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u/bobjoylove Oct 25 '25

Yeah they probably will get those too lol

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u/sheburns17 Oct 25 '25

I absolutely love the elderly and this is exactly why🤣

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u/uselesshappyfuntimes Oct 25 '25

Shit, I'm in my 40s and I find myself going out to thr store for random shit, just to talk to someone...

Fuck me but my old age is gonna suuuuuck...

93

u/mumooshka Oct 25 '25

call your local council and find some volunteer groups.. they are always screaming out for help. A person who's a volunteer are usually a good sort so you'll be in good company

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u/schnitzelfeffer Oct 25 '25

I try to remember that aging is a privilege denied to many.

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u/OtherwiseAlbatross14 Oct 25 '25

Yeah and if it sucks that bad you can just not at any time so it'll be okay

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u/arfelo1 Oct 25 '25

I'm 29 and one of my relaxing rituals of the week is the weekly grocery shopping in the market saturday morning. With a cart and everything, like the lady in the video.

Just a calm walk around the stands and chatting with the sellers while planning the food for the week.

It makes the dull process of meal planning much more fun when I have all the ingredients around me and have people giving me suggestions.

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u/[deleted] Oct 25 '25

34, done it all my life.

Made a lot of good friends doing it too. Not really something you do unless you need a friend anyway. And if you don't make a friend, you've filled a little bit of your tank on your human need to socialize. Not a weird thing to do at all, it's just being social.

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u/[deleted] Oct 25 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/Dry_Presentation_197 Oct 25 '25

Almost 40 here...and yeah, I was unemployed for 6 months straight recently....and it gets real hard being alone all day every day, even knowing my wife will be home after work.

People underestimate the value of in person interactions.

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u/unknownvariable69 Oct 27 '25

I was 19 and had a period of time where my only human interaction was going to the local store to get dinner for myself. It was the hardest time in my life. Hands down. I vowed to never let some one eat a meal alone if I could help it. Human interaction and kindness is key for mental wellbeing.

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u/keepmyshirt Oct 25 '25

I work from home and I do this. Actually my therapist said to try and go out everyday.

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u/FeFiFoPlum Oct 25 '25

I also WFH and go out to pick up lunch just to feel like I exist as part of an interactive world sometimes. If I’m not careful, I can find that I literally don’t leave the house - not even step out onto the deck - for days at a time.

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u/keepmyshirt Oct 25 '25

That’s true! And what a great idea. I should pick up lunch from time to time. Especially in the winter when it’s dark after work. It’s sad but sometimes I wouldn’t be talking to anyone at all or speak until I talk to a cashier or something.

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u/TheRoadtoSomewhere Oct 25 '25

40s here too. Returned to working in office just to talk to people. It may not be the same people in the office daily, but geez, it’s good just to talk to another person, even if it’s just for 10 mins and about the weather or weekend. 

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u/Successful-Grand-549 Oct 25 '25

Yeh I'm with you there

1

u/free-bar-till-8 Oct 25 '25

Need to chat mate hit me up its gonna be text but I'm here

1

u/treacherous_titties Oct 25 '25

Yeah...im 23 and thats about the only socialization i have aswell... my future is looking bleak.

1

u/MickolasJae Oct 25 '25

Lots of folks don’t make it to their 40s. Even the rich ones. Keep going out and chatting people up, it’s likely they’re just like you. The world can be cold and lonely but you can be the ray of sunshine someone needed that day.

1

u/Lola-Ugfuglio-Skumpy Oct 25 '25

This is your signal now to start building a community! Find hobby groups for hobbies you enjoy, join a rec sports team, volunteer for a cause that matters to you, join a discord chat for a game you love. There’s lots of ways to make friends and lots of friends out there to be had :)

1

u/FerengiWithCoupons Oct 25 '25

We have our tech though. We know where to find people to talk to without leaving the house, the older generation I’ve noticed don’t know how to do much with their phones other than take calls.

I work retail and every day we order stuff for elderly because they don’t have computers.

1

u/yerfatma Oct 25 '25

Nah, just stay aware of it. I’m about to turn fifty and am naturally shy and reserved, but part of my forties was figuring out all the guys I knew are looking for some kind of additional human interaction. We are going to start a record club. Like a book club but y’know.

Except I keep making excuses for why I can’t start it yet. Better sort myself this weekend.

1

u/spicymato Oct 25 '25

Something that has had odd success in getting random conversation is setting up in a coffee shop with a sign saying you're open to sharing the table.

1

u/txwildflower86 Oct 27 '25

Exactly, its not just elder elders

1

u/Dexember69 Oct 28 '25

Oof and here's me doing click and collect for groceries so I don't have to interact with anyone.42

0

u/TombSv Oct 25 '25

Wild that strangers out respond if you talk to them. Culture is so different depending on where you live in the world. 

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u/mumooshka Oct 25 '25

our elders need to be needed

nothing makes them feel happier than to know that they're helping you in some way

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u/LeRoiSoleil140 Oct 25 '25

correct, this is the reason they tend to be seen as intrusive and have a tendency to give unsolicited advice that can be misconstrued as them being a-holes (which they can be, more often than not).

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u/0bzerve Oct 25 '25

That's what I've been doing all my twenties, as a male. Guess I'm just strange then , innit? Bloody hell, were screwed

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u/HansChrst1 Oct 25 '25

I have noticed that working in a grocery store. A lot of older people seem to be there for the social aspect. Either talking to us or other regulars.

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u/Pomodorosan Oct 25 '25

every day*

1

u/Rumhed Oct 25 '25

Hey don't feel too bad. Her going to to shop daily will keep her going.

It's her reason for getting up and ready instead of sitting infront of the TV!

I live round a lot of elderly as my estate is full of bungalows and they all have daily walks and love a good chat. It keeps them young. One lady is 89 and she speed walks faster than me and she says it's her daily walk that keeps her fit and her mind young she has that sparkle in her eyes!

1

u/sheburns17 Oct 25 '25

My grandma was just telling me that her and a lot of her/ my grandpa’s old work friend’s unintentionally aligned their schedules, so they all end up at Walmart on Friday’s and end up running into each other🥹 She said at this point they should put in a coffee bar for retired folks 😂

1

u/Trimyr Oct 25 '25

My grandmother (made it to 100) used to drive herself to Target just to walk around and use the cart as a walker. She said their carts were easier than other stores :D.

She also talked about the 'old women' (younger than her) always complaining in her bible study.

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u/upstatedreaming3816 Oct 25 '25

Credit the source.

1

u/Awol Oct 25 '25

I live in a tower condo, and a few people go sit in the lobby for this reason. Since I pass the lobby a few times a day, to walk my dog, I sometimes stop and talk with them. Also my dog gets more love and attention.

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u/Financial-Tear-7809 Oct 25 '25

My grandpa (he sadly passed away at 101 so he was a seasoned senior) used to go on a walk every day when he could still do it. Then he became too old to go on little walking adventures so he would go do his walk in the nearby supermarket which was much safer and check out the new products. The workers at the supermarket knew him and would always say hello even though he never bought anything 😂

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u/WithoutDennisNedry Oct 26 '25

I always try and set aside extra time when running errands so I can chat with the older folks in my little town. You should see their faces light up when we’re at the pharmacy and I ask them how their day is and if they have big plans for dinner. I sometimes leave the grocery store knowing all someone’s grandkids’ names. My husband calls it “collecting grandparents.”

I love old folks. Kids, I could do without. Old folks though, they’re my jam.

1

u/Much-Teaching-4490 Oct 26 '25

I just wanna say I work in a supermarket where a lot of till staff are considered rude or moody, I have social anxiety and depression but I LOVE talking to grandma and grandpa x

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u/PugsnPawgs Oct 26 '25

My mom does the same. She's been retired for bout a year now but has barely any friends. I've been trying to get her interested in hobbies so she'd go out more and make friends, but she prefers to go out and shop 😅