So because I am a British what moved to America, some British traits persist in me.
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So because I am a British what moved to America, some British traits persist in me. For example, if we have a contractor round for any reason, I’m gonna offer them a drink - to include a cup of tea.
We had a guy come over to look at our dryer yesterday because it recently exploded. The look on his face when I offered him a drink. It was like I’d just offered to pay off his mortgage.
“Oh man, yeah please.”
My wife (American), thinks it’s such a strange thing I do.
America, we must normalize this practice. Become responsible for hydrating anyone who sets foot in your home.
@SecureOwl
Not a Brit, but I also do this to anyone who comes to my home.I also feel this should be normalized and we should treat all other humans with kindness rather than "the help"
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So because I am a British what moved to America, some British traits persist in me. For example, if we have a contractor round for any reason, I’m gonna offer them a drink - to include a cup of tea.
We had a guy come over to look at our dryer yesterday because it recently exploded. The look on his face when I offered him a drink. It was like I’d just offered to pay off his mortgage.
“Oh man, yeah please.”
My wife (American), thinks it’s such a strange thing I do.
America, we must normalize this practice. Become responsible for hydrating anyone who sets foot in your home.
@SecureOwl
I grew up in Oklahoma, and it would always have been inhospitable not to offer something.When I was little (I'm old, so we're talking 1950s) it was not uncommon for a stranger to knock on the door and ask for a glass of water, and of course we'd be happy to help. It was a far more trusting place and time.
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@SecureOwl I'm confused. Doesn't everyone do this?
@grumpydad apparently not - my wife was always told that people didnt want to potentially have to pee in a customers house lol
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So because I am a British what moved to America, some British traits persist in me. For example, if we have a contractor round for any reason, I’m gonna offer them a drink - to include a cup of tea.
We had a guy come over to look at our dryer yesterday because it recently exploded. The look on his face when I offered him a drink. It was like I’d just offered to pay off his mortgage.
“Oh man, yeah please.”
My wife (American), thinks it’s such a strange thing I do.
America, we must normalize this practice. Become responsible for hydrating anyone who sets foot in your home.
Definitely a British thing, it is considered rude not to offer a cuppa, or a sandwhich, biscuits or a slice of cake for a longer job!
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So because I am a British what moved to America, some British traits persist in me. For example, if we have a contractor round for any reason, I’m gonna offer them a drink - to include a cup of tea.
We had a guy come over to look at our dryer yesterday because it recently exploded. The look on his face when I offered him a drink. It was like I’d just offered to pay off his mortgage.
“Oh man, yeah please.”
My wife (American), thinks it’s such a strange thing I do.
America, we must normalize this practice. Become responsible for hydrating anyone who sets foot in your home.
@SecureOwl I’m not Brittish, but… it’s such an intensely instinctual thing for me to offer *at minimum* basic hydration and means of relieving/cleansing oneself.
I’ve travelled a lot in my life, and that has been just such a near universal social contract.
So it feels wildly jarring when I’m somewhere that isn’t the default mode. Doubly so if basic comfort is provided to anyone entering the home except service providers/workers. That takes it from jarring to icky for me.
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@SecureOwl I third this is not weird. Though don't do what I did. A dark stormy night Mormon Missionaries showed up at my door. They were soaked. I had just made coffee. I offered them cups to go
I realized my mistake after closing the door.@caffinepwrd @SecureOwl my Finnish Lutheran grandfather always offered the Mormon and Jehovah’s Witness door knockers a cup of coffee and happily would talk to them for hours. They would decline the coffee but ask for water, if he didn’t mind. Problem was my grandparents had sulphur water.
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@SecureOwl I’m not Brittish, but… it’s such an intensely instinctual thing for me to offer *at minimum* basic hydration and means of relieving/cleansing oneself.
I’ve travelled a lot in my life, and that has been just such a near universal social contract.
So it feels wildly jarring when I’m somewhere that isn’t the default mode. Doubly so if basic comfort is provided to anyone entering the home except service providers/workers. That takes it from jarring to icky for me.
@mycrowgirl @SecureOwl when overseeing major construction on my childhood home, my mom used to at least offer water to workers, and when it was really hot we'd give them popsicles. she was always really tight with her general contractors and relied on them until they retired
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@mycrowgirl @SecureOwl when overseeing major construction on my childhood home, my mom used to at least offer water to workers, and when it was really hot we'd give them popsicles. she was always really tight with her general contractors and relied on them until they retired
@bnys @mycrowgirl @SecureOwl one of my favourite memories of working in construction was being offered beers by a little old lady whos sunny balcony i was sealing.
not quite the same as above. but still -
So because I am a British what moved to America, some British traits persist in me. For example, if we have a contractor round for any reason, I’m gonna offer them a drink - to include a cup of tea.
We had a guy come over to look at our dryer yesterday because it recently exploded. The look on his face when I offered him a drink. It was like I’d just offered to pay off his mortgage.
“Oh man, yeah please.”
My wife (American), thinks it’s such a strange thing I do.
America, we must normalize this practice. Become responsible for hydrating anyone who sets foot in your home.
i'm in the South (Louisiana) & i do offer cold water and / or soft drinks but most of the contractors have told me they have a cooler with their own drinks...
this gives me the impression it is not common any longer to offer cold drinks to workers because they have already planned for an alternative
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So because I am a British what moved to America, some British traits persist in me. For example, if we have a contractor round for any reason, I’m gonna offer them a drink - to include a cup of tea.
We had a guy come over to look at our dryer yesterday because it recently exploded. The look on his face when I offered him a drink. It was like I’d just offered to pay off his mortgage.
“Oh man, yeah please.”
My wife (American), thinks it’s such a strange thing I do.
America, we must normalize this practice. Become responsible for hydrating anyone who sets foot in your home.
@SecureOwl Wow, how would you not? I'm a Brit, always offer water &/or tea/coffee & biscuits to tradespeople. Also water for couriers & dustmen when it's hot (the dustmen are all men & I hate calling people "operatives").
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So because I am a British what moved to America, some British traits persist in me. For example, if we have a contractor round for any reason, I’m gonna offer them a drink - to include a cup of tea.
We had a guy come over to look at our dryer yesterday because it recently exploded. The look on his face when I offered him a drink. It was like I’d just offered to pay off his mortgage.
“Oh man, yeah please.”
My wife (American), thinks it’s such a strange thing I do.
America, we must normalize this practice. Become responsible for hydrating anyone who sets foot in your home.
@SecureOwl love it!!
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So because I am a British what moved to America, some British traits persist in me. For example, if we have a contractor round for any reason, I’m gonna offer them a drink - to include a cup of tea.
We had a guy come over to look at our dryer yesterday because it recently exploded. The look on his face when I offered him a drink. It was like I’d just offered to pay off his mortgage.
“Oh man, yeah please.”
My wife (American), thinks it’s such a strange thing I do.
America, we must normalize this practice. Become responsible for hydrating anyone who sets foot in your home.
@SecureOwl when I was working on a crew painting house exteriors in the Kansas City suburbs (I did not last more than a few days doing this), I was very surprised to learn that we were not supposed to ask customers if we could use their bathrooms
Anyone working in or around my property for more than a few minutes is welcome in to pee or get water. At the very least. I thought it went without saying.
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@SecureOwl Wow, how would you not? I'm a Brit, always offer water &/or tea/coffee & biscuits to tradespeople. Also water for couriers & dustmen when it's hot (the dustmen are all men & I hate calling people "operatives").
@annehargreaves @SecureOwl Dane - Same
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So because I am a British what moved to America, some British traits persist in me. For example, if we have a contractor round for any reason, I’m gonna offer them a drink - to include a cup of tea.
We had a guy come over to look at our dryer yesterday because it recently exploded. The look on his face when I offered him a drink. It was like I’d just offered to pay off his mortgage.
“Oh man, yeah please.”
My wife (American), thinks it’s such a strange thing I do.
America, we must normalize this practice. Become responsible for hydrating anyone who sets foot in your home.
@SecureOwl I'm American and I offer drinks to anyone that is working for me especially since we're having a very hot summer
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So because I am a British what moved to America, some British traits persist in me. For example, if we have a contractor round for any reason, I’m gonna offer them a drink - to include a cup of tea.
We had a guy come over to look at our dryer yesterday because it recently exploded. The look on his face when I offered him a drink. It was like I’d just offered to pay off his mortgage.
“Oh man, yeah please.”
My wife (American), thinks it’s such a strange thing I do.
America, we must normalize this practice. Become responsible for hydrating anyone who sets foot in your home.
@SecureOwl when i had my windows redone, i caught one of the workers literally smoking meth in my bathroom
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So because I am a British what moved to America, some British traits persist in me. For example, if we have a contractor round for any reason, I’m gonna offer them a drink - to include a cup of tea.
We had a guy come over to look at our dryer yesterday because it recently exploded. The look on his face when I offered him a drink. It was like I’d just offered to pay off his mortgage.
“Oh man, yeah please.”
My wife (American), thinks it’s such a strange thing I do.
America, we must normalize this practice. Become responsible for hydrating anyone who sets foot in your home.
@SecureOwl I always explicitly ask if anyone wants a drink or to use the bathroom while they're here. People making where you live better do not deserve to need to find convenience store bathrooms when you have a perfectly working one.
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So because I am a British what moved to America, some British traits persist in me. For example, if we have a contractor round for any reason, I’m gonna offer them a drink - to include a cup of tea.
We had a guy come over to look at our dryer yesterday because it recently exploded. The look on his face when I offered him a drink. It was like I’d just offered to pay off his mortgage.
“Oh man, yeah please.”
My wife (American), thinks it’s such a strange thing I do.
America, we must normalize this practice. Become responsible for hydrating anyone who sets foot in your home.
so growing up i felt like this was normal practice but i didnt see it much elsewhere when i moved around. but in my mind this is also a US southern thing?
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So because I am a British what moved to America, some British traits persist in me. For example, if we have a contractor round for any reason, I’m gonna offer them a drink - to include a cup of tea.
We had a guy come over to look at our dryer yesterday because it recently exploded. The look on his face when I offered him a drink. It was like I’d just offered to pay off his mortgage.
“Oh man, yeah please.”
My wife (American), thinks it’s such a strange thing I do.
America, we must normalize this practice. Become responsible for hydrating anyone who sets foot in your home.
@SecureOwl I keep offering tradespeople drinks whenever they're over, but they always refuse the offer and look at me weird for even suggesting it lol. Germany.
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@SecureOwl when i had my windows redone, i caught one of the workers literally smoking meth in my bathroom
@Viss thats rude they didn’t offer you any
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I wonder if this is a regionalism, because as a born-and-raised American from what constitutes (just barely) the South, not offering at least a glass of water is borderline offensive.
@DaveMWilburn @SecureOwl my FIL in Florida literally ran out the house to offer the garbage collector a cold drink
