Growing up we are taught that with age comes wisdom but unfortunately, that is not always the case. In fact, sometimes, there seems to be regression. In today’s stories, we have experiences of people who were just old enough to know better.
From embarrassing questions, to not knowing how to do certain things, these people did not learn well over the years. Read on and have a good chuckle.
1. Blue or Red?
My mom is too old not to understand the basics of simple electronics and the color coding associated with them. She can't remember whether blue or red is associated with hot or cold.
When she's in the car and wants to turn on the AC, she just randomly sets the dial to one side or the other and waits for the air to come on to see whether she's right or not.
It baffles me every time and it’s one of those things that though I’m supposed to adapt, I can’t seem to be able to get used to it.
Montereyo
2. Fire Drills
I've met more than one person who doesn't get fire alarms. When my husband and I first got an apartment together, we were cooking and we burned something; the smoke caused the smoke alarm to start beeping.
Instead of opening the window to let the smoke out (like a normal person), he calmly walked to the door and began putting on his shoes to go outside and wait for the fire department to come - because he thought that when the smoke alarm goes off, that's what you do.
After all, why else would we have gone through all those fire drills in elementary school?
I love him but wow, that had me looking at him differently.
montereyo
3. Calamity at the gas pump
My grandmother is 88 years old and she drives a Ford Mustang. She does not know how to put gas in her car. She has literally driven cars for 70 years without ever once using a gas pump.
She calls me every few weeks to go over there and follow her to the gas station, so I can pump for her. I don't have the heart to tell her that the employees will do it if she asks nicely, since it's one of the few occasions where I see her.
raging_asshole
4. “People Actually Do That?”
Apparently, it's pretty common to not know how to do your laundry before you go to college. The one that got me, though, was my roommate's boyfriend.
He didn't do his own laundry but had learned how before coming to college. One day, one of his roommates pulled the sheets off of his bed to wash them.
The boyfriend called my roommate and asked incredulously if people actually washed their sheets. She told him that his mom had washed his sheets all the time, and that's why he had new ones on his bed every once in a while.
It turns out that he thought his mom was just constantly buying new sheets that she thought he would like better and putting them on his bed. For 18 years.
Prplemoos
5. Ignorant but pretty lady
My girlfriend in college didn't know how to boil water. I explained how easy it was (water goes into the pot, the pot goes on the stove, turn on the stove) and she did it, then left the pot there for four hours waiting for the water to "finish boiling".
Of course, all of the water evaporated, and she completely burned the crap out of the pot and then started to panic and cry because she didn't know how to turn the stove off. I am no longer with this girl.
capcalhoon
6. Be more like Zac Efron
This is a little different than some of the comments on here. But my dad's college roommate was in town a few weeks back, so my dad and I went to meet him, grab a beer, and shoot the crap.
While we were hanging out, they did a little reminiscing, and they mentioned the roommate's girlfriend from freshman year.
Apparently, this girl had watched a few too many musicals and actually genuinely thought that people in relationships would actually sing to each other.
They went on one date and it was fine. The second date was okay, but the girl seemed a bit distant at the end. He went on the third date, and she asked, "Why don't you ever sing to me?"
His response was somewhere along the lines of, "Why the heck would I be singing?" She complained that if he really liked her, he would sing to her, or at least try.
There didn't have to be any dancing, just singing. He thought she was joking, so he made a smart comment about how stupid that was. She didn't appreciate it.
My dad and his roommate were convinced that she was joking and screwing with him. The roommate even went over to her room, and the girl's roommate wouldn't let him in to see her because she was so heartbroken.
A few weeks later, the girl's roommate apologized because she didn't realize how crazy the reason for the breakup had been.
Richard_coeurdelion
7. Getting lost in broad daylight
In high school, there was one time I was going to give a friend a ride home after a band practice or something since somebody hadn't come to pick him up and he said it was going to be a long while.
He told me which direction to start in, but as we continued driving it became clear that he actually didn't know where he lived.
He didn't know the address, or how to get there from the school he goes to every weekday. He tried giving terrible directions like "it's near the flashing yellow lights," during the drive.
I couldn't believe that this high school sophomore actually had no idea where he lived. I had to end up just taking him back to the school so his mom could pick him up.
skankingrove
8. Reflection 101
This is not my story, but my sisters. She was a residential advisor for her first years in college. One time, she smelled smoke in the common room and found that a girl had put a bowl with foil in the microwave and it was on fire.
After she had put the fire out, the girl came out and admitted that it was her food and she thought foil would make it heat faster in the microwave.
curlygirl86
9. Hacking it through
I dated a guy (he was 19) who did not know how to use a steak knife. Instead of sawing the meat, he attempted to force the knife through it by simply pushing it down.
I don't know if you don't know this, dude, but steak is not quite the same consistency as softened butter. He kept shaking the entire table (we were in a restaurant) as he tried to force the knife into the meat.
Eventually, I stopped him, took his knife, and showed him how to saw the meat - his mind was genuinely completely blown.
When I asked him how the heck it was possible that he didn't know how to do this, he told me "Oh, my parents usually just let me pick up the meat in my hands at home." We broke up a couple of months later.
Throwsuperaway
10. A child in an adult body
My roommate of 3 months now has astounded me with the inane things she doesn't seem to grasp, for example: She saw me making a cheeseburger and promptly exclaimed "That's how you melt cheese on it?!" or something to that effect.
She put a lid on something in the microwave and the handle started to smoke and melt because she didn't think that there might be a screw holding the thing together.
She follows directions on mostly cooked food, ie: ready rice, frozen veggies, etc, to the letter and then doesn't understand that there may be any number of discrepancies between our appliance and the instructions, complains her food never cooks, AND EATS IT ANYWAY.
Also, she cannot seem to wrap her head around turning her light off when she goes to sleep and not running up the power bill, taking a half-hour-long shower in the morning while 3 other people are getting ready for the day and insisting that her word is infallible.
She's a child, I would like to get her to move out and this is the first place I've been able to vent about it. She drives me crazy.
Nonseussianproverb
11. Splashing water everywhere
How to wash your face must be the easiest thing there is to know. I think most people dating back to early humans have figured out the - cup your hands under running water, lean your head over the sink, and bring your hands up to your face process.
I lived with an adult girl who did NOT know how to do this. She would just swat the freaking water up at her face and get the sink, the counter, the mirror, the toilet, EVERYTHING soaking wet
[deleted]
12. Lifetime Passenger Princess
A friend of a friend is a 20-year-old girl who doesn't know how and refuses to pump her own gas. She also refuses to be taught.
She practically refuses to drive herself anywhere. (For example) she lives now in a city about 2-3 hours away and will only ride with someone else.
When traveling to a closer city roughly an hour away does the same thing. To the point, she missed seeing her current love interest because there was nobody to drive her.
[deleted]
13. My worst nightmare
I haven’t truly parallel parked since the day I passed my driver’s test. I avoid it like the plague. I’ll even stop the car and make my friend's Chinese fire drill so someone else can park it for me.
I understand the mechanics of how to do it, but I’m blind in one eye and it affects my depth perception enough to make me uncomfortable doing it.
By refusing to learn, I promise I’m just looking out for the well-being of all of your vehicles. See, I have good intentions.
MandyzFelix
14. So much for being popular
I was a class acquaintance of a pretty popular girl in my grade, so one day I was sitting at the "popular" table. It was kind of a big deal for me as a nerdy guy with this girl, but I learned something that shocked me.
So apparently, she didn’t know how to use a knife to cut up her lunch and her lackey friend kind of did it for her as her mom did when she was home.
The heck?! We were like 14. She was definitely old enough to know how to do something so mundane on her own.
fosterwallacejr
15. Planning is an essential skill
My current roommate has no idea how to shop for groceries/manage the food he has already bought. Now, we live about a 3-minute walk from a pretty large grocery store, so food shopping is by no means inconvenient.
His food is constantly rotting in the fridge; when he orders out he leaves the leftovers in the fridge until they have to be thrown away.
He currently has 3 half-eaten bags of chips (same brand/style). He probably ends up throwing away $100 worth of food every month.
BrianSnow
16. Pretty but ignorant
My car's battery was getting old and had started to die when I would park it to go to class. I come out of class one day and try to start my car and, of course, it won't start.
I'm cussing at it a bit and decide to wait until the person parked next to me shows up. It doesn't take long and this girl, fairly attractive, shows up and locks the new Lexus SUV right next to me.
I politely ask her if she can give me a jump. She agrees, as long as it doesn't hurt her car, and asks what she needs to do. I tell her all I need to do is for her to pop her hood for now and then start it when I say to.
She looks at me for a second and then says "How do I pop the hood?" I don't judge. New car for her probably and she hasn't experimented to figure it out.
I open her hood for her, showing her exactly how I do it so she knows, and then hook up my jumper cables, also explaining what I'm doing.
I then tell her to start her car and she does. My car starts up fine. I tell her that is all there is and she can close her hood when she responds with "How do I do that?"
Deemanboy24
17. Violence is not always the answer
=
I was on a backpacking trip with my 15-year-old brother and my dad this summer and we had just finished dinner. My dad had gone down to the lake to fish, but since I'm a wus I decided to make some instant cheesecake instead. My brother followed suit.
I looked at the instructions which say something like "1. Add Water. 2. Beat for 2 minutes. 3. Enjoy." So I added the water and started beating the mix. As in stirring it vigorously with a spoon.
I looked over and saw my little brother holding his bag with one hand and just repeatedly punching it with the other, instant dessert flying everywhere. We had a little chat. That day he learnt that violence was not always the answer.
Mmmbacon914
18. Kids born in the digital age
I was asking my chemistry teacher about something in high school, junior year, a few years back and a girl was behind me with her student notebook out.
I knew she probably wanted to go to the bathroom so I told her to go ahead and she gave her notebook to the teacher to sign her a hall pass but he handed it back because it was blank and asked her to write the date and time.
She turned around and stared at the clock (analog) for about 10 seconds and said 'I can't tell time'. For someone her age, I was shocked.
Kwakward
19. It’s too simple to not know how to do
One of my former roommates (23 at the time) said he'd like some popcorn while we were watching a movie. I told him I had some in the cupboard and to help himself.
He grabs the popcorn bag, takes the cellophane off, then sheepishly walks into the room and goes, "How...uhhh...how do I do this?" 23 years old...didn't know how to microwave his own popcorn.
InferiousX
20. How to wipe spills 101
This is gonna sound odd, but this is how you properly clean up the spill of a liquid such as soda, coffee, or tea. Way too many times, I see someone lay down some paper towels, stomp on them, and call it clean. NO.
Cleaning up sticky messes is an art. First, blot (don't wipe) it all up with paper towels. Next, grab a washcloth with warm water on it, and wipe towards the center of the mess. You do not want to spread it outwards.
Repeat, then add a little spray cleaner to the party. If it spills near a wall, a table, or chairs, wipe them too! Next, once more with just warm water on a washcloth, then dry. That's how you clean up a spill like a MAN.
Curtquarquesso
21. Ignorance knows no age
Back in college one of my roommates came into the living room and asked me what a cookie sheet was and do we have one. I was dumbfounded.
I am surprised how many people I knew back in high school and early college who were too nervous to call and order a pizza for delivery because they had never done it before.
I work in a medical office and there are people in their 30s and up who don't know anything about their medical insurance. "Oh, I have a co-pay?" Why yes, it is that dollar amount on the front of your insurance card.
Supernateosu
22. Our Genius’ Achilles heel
Not exactly an adult, but here goes: I went on a school camping trip in eighth grade. Mine was a rather swanky private school, so these kids had been really sheltered.
We had to cook our own dinner at night, and they gave us spaghetti to prepare on the first night. My friend looks at the water, then at me and says "How do you know when it's ready?"
I was speechless. This guy, was an absolute genius in the sciences (he was already taking high school courses at an accelerated pace in middle school) and he had no idea how to boil water.
theMonocledTopHat
23. Daddy’s princess
My wife and I got married when I was 18 and she was 17. She grew up very sheltered in a wealthy family. She never had a license or a job.
After we got married I made her get her license. One day while I was at work she decided to go see a friend and called me crying saying the car was making a funny dinging sound and a light was on.
I had her send me a picture and it was the fuel light, no big deal. I told her to go fill up the tank, she said okay and I think the problem is solved.
Less than ten minutes later I get a phone call. Turns out she didn't know how to pump gas, or even how to pay for it. Tried to coach her through it over the phone but she didn't understand.
Luckily, a nice old lady was there to help her.
PapaIsaiah
24. Come on, it’s basic directions
I'm halfway through my senior seminar, and I'm astonished at how many other students have been through 3+ years of college and still don't know how to structure a cohesive essay.
Some even seem to have trouble expressing themselves articulately in writing.
That, and cardinal directions. I'll say something like "Go three blocks north, then 2 blocks west" and people will look at me in utter confusion.
It's pretty basic, honestly. These are very essential life skills that people don’t seem to mind getting by without. Quite surprising
TRK27
25. Mailing a letter to Hogwarts
I once gave a girl a letter to mail for me. She called me on her cellphone ten minutes later and said, "I can't do it." She couldn't figure out how to open the thing (the blue rounded top ones you see on the street).
I tried to talk her through it, but after a few minutes, she gave up. I even told her to ask someone on the street for help, but she was too embarrassed. Also, she was very, very pretty.
StephensonB
26. Due diligence with your travel buddy
You own a decent car, it's a several thousand dollar investment at a minimum.
Maybe you should care enough to learn the simplest maintenance items.
Check and maintain the fluids and filters. Know how to check and change lights and fuses? Maybe even spring for a pocket notebook and keep a maintenance log in the glove compartment so you can tell a mechanic, "No, I changed the air filter a month ago, it's fine" when he tries to up-sell you needlessly?
These things take, collectively, not even two hours to learn from a decent automotive manual available at most good libraries and will save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars.
ZenRage
27. Restaurant Ettiquette
Any time anyone goes into a restaurant and doesn't know what to do it always surprises me. No, you can't order from the busser or the food runner.
No, you don't follow the server around with your credit card when you want to get the check. And no, you can't just reach over the bar to grab a towel so that you can wipe up a spill. We have people who we hire to do exactly that thing for you.
I see people do crap like this all the time at my job. The vast majority of them are over 40, and where I work is rather expensive.
If you've been walking this earth for four decades, you should know how to function in a restaurant. It's always the same stuff. It's not hard.
M1ndcr1me
28. You learn something new every day
I learned last year that pumpkins float. I'm 24. I was in my final teaching internship in a Kindergarten classroom and was doing a science lesson on pumpkins and one part was a Will It Float? experiment.
I did a practice run of the lesson and that's when the light bulb finally turned on.
To make matters worse, most of the kids guessed float. These kids knew better than me.
Hmmmkay
29. Failures of the school system
My wife called me from work one day to ask "How do you make upper-case letters? The caps lock key is broken." I said that she needed to call her parents and apologize for wasting 5 years of university tuition.
She asked why. I told her to use the shift keys. After 4 years of typing papers for high school and 5 years of essay writing for uni, she never knew that you could just use the shift keys to make upper-case letters.
She had been selecting the caps lock, typing the letter, and then hitting the caps lock again. The education system never ceases to amaze me.
diablo_negro
30. The definition of a gentleman
A few years ago my grandfather had to have a minor operation that made him stay at the hospital overnight. My grandmother (Mid-seventies) needed gas on the way home while he was still at the hospital.
She pulled into the gas station and had to call my mother to ask how to put gas in the truck. In over 50 years of marriage, he never had her get out to fill up the tank. He is a true gentleman.
[deleted]
31. Dumb, Dumber and Dumbest
My friend who is 19 just figured out how to use a laundry machine. It took her 5 hours with instructions but it doesn’t compare to a lady I know who tried to feed a snake some lettuce. She was in her 40's.
One person I know keeps inviting me to small group church meetings on Friday nights. I told her no 20+ times and she doesn't get it.
She asked me again and I said I don't want to go because I don't want to and I don't want to waste my Friday nights there. She still doesn't get it. So I guess they should get the freaking point when someone refuses 5+ times
[deleted]
