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Bad Lunch Dates
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 2006-01-04 10:18 AM |
Extreme Veteran  604   Northwest Ohio |  Subject: Bad Lunch DatesSo, the topic of discussion on our morning run today was "Bad Business Lunches" which is almost as much fun as telling bad blind date stories. At least we don't have to worry about the lunch date trying to kiss us when it's over---well, maybe---that would be a REALLY bad business lunch! I have a lot of stories, but one that I shared was when I got in the car with the saleman to go to lunch, I saw that he had a tape in the car stereo so to make small talk, I asked him what he had been listening to. He said that it was the soundtrack to the original Star Wars. I said, "There's a soundtrack for Star Wars? Other than the original theme, I thought it was all background music." The guy got all excited and said, "Oh YES! It's background music and I listen to it and imagine that this is the part where Princess Leah is trapped in the trash compactor and Luke has to come save her! And this is the part where Darth Vader...blah blah blah." I thought, "Oh no! I'm going to spend the next 2 hours with this guy?" And he literally talked about Star Wars and Star Trek and all that stuff for 2 hours! That was TORTURE! Another time, a sales rep took me to lunch and after we sat down, she asked if I had children (standard small talk). I said that I had 3 boys, blah blah blah, then, "How about you? Do you have children?" At that point, she started to CRY! And went on to tell me about her 5 MISCARRIAGES and all her fertility problems and on and on and on. By the time she finished 15 minutes later, I felt HORRIBLE because I had the nerve to have 3 healthy children. Yikes! So how about you? Any bad business lunch/meeting stories? |
| 2006-01-04 10:22 AM in reply to: #316335 |
Pro 4612 MA | Subject: RE: Bad Lunch Dates Bettylou - 2006-01-04 11:18 AM Another time, a sales rep took me to lunch and after we sat down, she asked if I had children (standard small talk). I said that I had 3 boys, blah blah blah, then, "How about you? Do you have children?" At that point, she started to CRY! And went on to tell me about her 5 MISCARRIAGES and all her fertility problems and on and on and on. By the time she finished 15 minutes later, I felt HORRIBLE because I had the nerve to have 3 healthy children. Yikes! So how about you? Any bad business lunch/meeting stories? Why would she initiate such a conversation??? |
| 2006-01-04 10:28 AM in reply to: #316335 |
Buttercup 14334  | Subject: RE: Bad Lunch Dates Many, many years ago I took a contractor to lunch to renegogiate an extension on his contract. I did not originally place him on his assignment but inherited him (he was a chronic headache and nobody wanted to deal with him). We meet for the first time and he proceeded to tell me that, within the context of our business relationship, I was like a hooker. I didn't even blink. I leaned forward and with a big smile explained that, actually, for his analogy to be sound, he would be the hooker and I would be his pimp. It was a lovely lunch. He signed the contract, no problemo. And, Michelle, there was no need for you to feel bad because you have children and your business contact didn't. I've had 7 miscarriages and I don't begrudge my friends, coworkers and acquaintances their children. It's not about you. She probably just needed to have a good cry at that moment. It was kind of you to listen to her. I don't get why the Star Wars discush was a problem... Edited by Renee 2006-01-04 10:30 AM |
| 2006-01-04 10:38 AM in reply to: #316338 |
Elite 2421 | Subject: RE: Bad Lunch Dates Celeb_ithil - 2006-01-04 9:22 AM Bettylou - 2006-01-04 11:18 AM Another time, a sales rep took me to lunch and after we sat down, she asked if I had children (standard small talk). I said that I had 3 boys, blah blah blah, then, "How about you? Do you have children?" At that point, she started to CRY! And went on to tell me about her 5 MISCARRIAGES and all her fertility problems and on and on and on. By the time she finished 15 minutes later, I felt HORRIBLE because I had the nerve to have 3 healthy children. Yikes! So how about you? Any bad business lunch/meeting stories? Why would she initiate such a conversation??? Agreed. The follow up to that question is pretty obvious. As for me... I avoid business lunches like the plague because I like to blow of steam at lunch not talk about work. So I'm sitting at a Chinese Buffet griping about how idiotic some of the Colonel's on the base are... and what do I see out of the corner of my eye trying to get a look at my name tag... oh yeah. I didn't eat their again. bts |
| 2006-01-04 10:50 AM in reply to: #316335 |
Expert 707 Kansas | Subject: RE: Bad Lunch Dates I had this lunch date years ago with this lady who was around 5'-8" and I'm about 5'-9"... (I will get to this in a second) The date went as expected general small talk about work & life, etc...... then at the end she asked me if I had issues with being short? CHECK PLEASE Eric |
| 2006-01-04 10:54 AM in reply to: #316335 |
Extreme Veteran 604 Northwest Ohio | Subject: RE: Bad Lunch Dates I guess my point is that some people are so oblivious about their audience. Why would she start such a conversation? Who knows! Maybe thinking I'd buy something if I felt sorry for her? I don't know. And the Star Wars dude....He should have figured out within 5 minutes when I showed no knowledge or interest in anything Sci Fi (in fact I think I used those exact words, "I don't particularly like Science Fiction") that maybe he should change the subject (He's the salesman, I am the client, he's supposed to act interested in ME) Oh well.... They're like bad blind dates. One time, one of our clients started nervously looking over his shoulder and then leaned across the table and whispered that he worked for the CIA and might be "off work" for a while while he went on a mission.....That was BIZARRE to say the least. He was probably headed for a rehab clinic..... |
| 2006-01-04 11:02 AM in reply to: #316374 |
Buttercup 14334 | Subject: RE: Bad Lunch Dates Bettylou - 2006-01-04 10:54 AM I guess my point is that some people are so oblivious about their audience. Why would she start such a conversation? Who knows! Maybe thinking I'd buy something if I felt sorry for her? I don't know. Good Buddha, why would you assume she wanted you to buy something for her out of pity? She probably just couldn't contain her grief on that particular day at that particular moment and thought she had a sympathetic audience. Believe me, there is nothing you could buy - not a thing in the world - that would make her feel better. A hug, on the other hand, was probably all she needed/wanted. |
| 2006-01-04 11:05 AM in reply to: #316366 |
Expert 906 Olathe, KS | Subject: RE: Bad Lunch Dates ott13979 - 2006-01-04 10:50 AM I had this lunch date years ago with this lady who was around 5'-8" and I'm about 5'-9"... (I will get to this in a second) The date went as expected general small talk about work & life, etc...... then at the end she asked me if I had issues with being short? CHECK PLEASE Eric Otte you just look 5'6" because you are 5 feet across. Lighten up on the 'roids and you wouldn't have that problem. |
 2006-01-04 11:07 AM in reply to: #316345 |
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| 2006-01-04 12:19 PM in reply to: #316383 |
| Buttercup 14334 | Subject: RE: Bad Lunch Dates Lara, I didn't have a problem with the analogy either but I think he decided he preferred not to use that analogy anymore. Funny how being nasty can bite you in the butt, huh? Edited by Renee 2006-01-04 12:19 PM |
| 2006-01-04 12:20 PM in reply to: #316335 |
Champion 8903 | Subject: RE: Bad Lunch Dates LOL, not a lunch date, but Michele's car tape experience made me recall this one. I took a trip in a van with 3 other guys down to Myrtle Beach and one guy brought along a portable player with a "Learn To Speak Spanish" tape. After about 2 hours of that, someone threatened to throw the cassette player AND him out the door at the next rest stop! |
| 2006-01-04 1:15 PM in reply to: #316443 |
| Pro 4612 MA | Subject: RE: Bad Lunch Dates max - 2006-01-04 1:20 PM LOL, not a lunch date, but Michele's car tape experience made me recall this one. I took a trip in a van with 3 other guys down to Myrtle Beach and one guy brought along a portable player with a "Learn To Speak Spanish" tape. After about 2 hours of that, someone threatened to throw the cassette player AND him out the door at the next rest stop! Wow... you guys actually tolerated for 2 hours? So you must be speaking fluent Spanish now. |
| 2006-01-04 1:35 PM in reply to: #316508 |
| Buttercup 14334 | Subject: RE: Bad Lunch Dates Dang, and I downloaded 5 hours of Spanish to my nano... better find something else for the marathon run. |
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