Monday, February 18, 2008

Talk to the hand?

Has anyone out there heard of or used this expression?
My son came home from school last week and told me the bus driver told him to "talk to her hand". He didn't know what she meant. I didn't know what she meant. We asked my 21 yr. old son and He HAD heard of this sarcastic expression. I DON'T LIKE IT! I also DON'T LIKE that this obnoxious woman spoke to my kid this way.
For 24 years since I've lived in my home the bus stop for all our kids has always been right on our corner. This school year, the bus picks up my youngest at the usual stop, BUT she insists on not coming to this stop in the afternoon. She instead drops him off way down the street. I was on the phone with Richey, The head of transportation, many times in September to try to rectify this problem. I am usually quite tenacious, but speaking with Richey was like talking to a wall so I finally gave up, especially that J. never minded the long walk. So, last week we had down pouring, driving rain like I've never seen before. J. called me after school and I told him to ask the driver to please drop him off at his morning stop. He asked her politely and she said 'NO! I can't make exceptions.' He pointed out the rain and said' Please just this one time?' In a Nasty voice she said "talk to the hand". I called transportation again and the man I spoke with this time said to me " Talk to the hand? what does that mean"? haha (I had thought It was a younger generation saying but this guy sounded pretty young). SO, I explained that this means- my face is not hearing you, you will have as much luck talking to my hand-
Here we go again... I ALSO explained to him, our bus route, the mistake, the 24 years the same stop, the 2 different buses that come in the morning, the mixups, the frustration,The constant nastiness of the driver, the long walk, The worry of him walking alone, How incredibly patient I've been, EVERYTHING!!!"
His answer to all my lamenting? 'you need to TALK TO RICHEY, but he is on vacation right now.' He may as well have said "Talk to the hand"
Can you feel my frustration?

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Amazing. It's one thing to have a kid say that to an adult [not great, but kind of acceptable in a teenage surly not cursing sort of way]; however, to have an adult say that to a kid is wrong and rude and immature. I'd be ticked off too.

And as an aside: how in the world have you not come across this phrase before this?!! I find it rather quaint and charming that you've not heard this before. ;-)

myrtle beached whale said...

You may be the only person in America that hasn't heard this phrase. I think it was big in the late 90's and has petty much died out. It is disrespectul and you are fortunate that your kids did not present it to you. It is most effective with a hand going up and the face turning away and eyes rolling. The correct phrasing is "talk to the hand, not to the face." A woman I used to spend time with had a teenage daughter that used it often. But never to me. She knew better. LOL
Don't deal with the bus people. Go to the school board.

Giggles said...

Oh my Lucy, I used that phrase as a constant for a time, years ago! It was quite funny, talk to the hand cuz the ears aint listening! It's a very sarcastic way of saying " I don't want to hear about it," It's very sweet that you haven't heard about it...but it's kind of out of date, and you're pretty current....so that's probably why you haven't come across it before. Go over the guys head to the top management! Or bake the bus driver some brownies...you'll have them eating out of your hand!!Send a nice note, thank you for all your hard work....yeah I know but sometimes sucking up works!!

Love you and good luck with that!
Sherrie

UL said...

I hear your frustration, my dear! Cant believe how mean people can be these days...thanks Lucy.

Reverend Jeannine Bakriges said...

Geez, Lucy...I had never heard that phrase before either. But I HAVE unfortunately come in contact with rude people like your bus driver...as I'm sure we all have. All it takes is one sour person to upset the applecart (now that's a phrase this 50 year old can understand!) Wonder what horrible baggage she's carrying that would make her act the way she is? Sounds to me that she's not at all happy in her job and perhaps not happy in life either. Wish for everyone's sake that she'd get a different job. Hope Richey, when he gets back from vacation, will deal with this in an appropriate way. Surely you can't be the only one who has noticed her nastiness! Surely others have brought this up to Richey, too!! Good luck lovey!!!

latree said...

you have talked to frustrated people, and yes it is frustrating...
be patient Lucy...

Anonymous said...

What a ghastly expression. Kids in the UK use it all the time. I always feel like grabbing the hand and scrunching the fingers, but I don't!