Etiquette Dilemma

Aelia Jusa · 08-30-2005, 04:49 PM

This is a situation I'm sure everyone's experienced; it's not earth-shattering but then most things aren't.

You're talking with someone and they start telling you a story they've told you before. Do you stop them or just let them retell the story?

Legolas · 08-30-2005, 05:20 PM

If it's a good or brief story, by all means let them retell.
Otherwise you might hint at faintly remembering hearing something like that before, but of course it won't do to groan and beg not to have to sit through that old story again.

Timber Loftis · 08-30-2005, 05:22 PM

I pretend to guess parts of the story along the way, goading them to new heights of enthusiasm.

mad=dog · 08-30-2005, 05:29 PM

It depends.
If I am offered an option I am truthful. "Have you heard about Charles?" "Yes, I have heard that not long ago."
If I am not offered an option I make a split second decision similar to Legolas. Is it worth interupting? Might there be variation? Is this a person who are generally good at delivering a story (and hence able to make something out of nothing)? And if I do interupt it is also in a curtious manour. "..that reminds me that airlines are now..." "Pardon, but I think I know what you are aiming at...".

Vaskez · 08-30-2005, 05:34 PM

Depends who it is obviously. My gran (being 82) is cool cos she KNOWS she tends to tell things over and over again, but she always says, "if I've told you before, let me know" and I do, and she's cool about it. lol.

If it's a mate, I'd probably joke about it and say they're getting senile and of course tell them that they've already told me. I tell so many stories to so many people, I must sometime repeat myself too, so I basically avoid putting them in an awkward situation by always asking beforehand: "have I told you that one about..." and then stopping if they say "yeah".

Jorath Calar · 08-30-2005, 05:38 PM

Yeps depends on who it is... and ofcourse the story... [img]smile.gif[/img]

Kakero · 08-30-2005, 05:43 PM

If it's other people. I'll tell them that they've told me that story before. If it's my mum I'll just listen quietly and agrees to whatever she was talking about, no choice really, since I can never defeat her in an argument.

Arledrian · 08-30-2005, 05:48 PM

If someone's recounting their story with obvious relish and that sort of self-satisfied smugness that comes with an upcoming laugh, I'll let them re-tell it. If the story's bland to all concerned I'll be like "heh, yeah.. I remember you mentioning that."

shadowhound · 08-30-2005, 06:28 PM

Usually if it sounds familier I cut in early with I think you told me this one already, but keep going just so I can check. If it is short/funny I will let them finish it and tell them after that they had already told me but since it was "a good one" I didnt mind hearing it again. Otherwise I cut in and let them know.

Illumina Drathiran'ar · 08-30-2005, 08:46 PM

If it's a good/short story, by all means let them tell it. If you have no wish to hear it again, then what I like to do is say "Oh yeah, you told me that!" The key is to sound like I'm just remembering hearing it, like I had forgotten I'd heard the story. That way it's not like "Yes, you told me." but more along the lines of "Oh, look at us, forgetting things all over. No worries, though."

08-30-2005, 04:49 PM	#1
Aelia Jusa Iron Throne Cult Join Date: August 23, 2001 Location: Brisbane, Australia Age: 42 Posts: 4,867	This is a situation I'm sure everyone's experienced; it's not earth-shattering but then most things aren't. You're talking with someone and they start telling you a story they've told you before. Do you stop them or just let them retell the story? __________________

08-30-2005, 05:22 PM	#3
Timber Loftis 40th Level Warrior Join Date: July 11, 2002 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 11,916	I pretend to guess parts of the story along the way, goading them to new heights of enthusiasm. __________________

08-30-2005, 05:29 PM	#4
mad=dog Avatar Join Date: April 18, 2004 Location: Copenhagen Age: 48 Posts: 549	It depends. If I am offered an option I am truthful. "Have you heard about Charles?" "Yes, I have heard that not long ago." If I am not offered an option I make a split second decision similar to Legolas. Is it worth interupting? Might there be variation? Is this a person who are generally good at delivering a story (and hence able to make something out of nothing)? And if I do interupt it is also in a curtious manour. "..that reminds me that airlines are now..." "Pardon, but I think I know what you are aiming at...". __________________ [url]\"http://www.dsr.kvl.dk/~maddog/isur.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">Ooooookay. I surrender.</a><br />Sometimes I get the eerie feeling that my computer is operating me and not the other way around.

08-30-2005, 05:34 PM	#5
Vaskez Takhisis Follower Join Date: April 30, 2001 Location: szép Magyarország (well not right now) Posts: 5,089	Depends who it is obviously. My gran (being 82) is cool cos she KNOWS she tends to tell things over and over again, but she always says, "if I've told you before, let me know" and I do, and she's cool about it. lol. If it's a mate, I'd probably joke about it and say they're getting senile and of course tell them that they've already told me. I tell so many stories to so many people, I must sometime repeat myself too, so I basically avoid putting them in an awkward situation by always asking beforehand: "have I told you that one about..." and then stopping if they say "yeah". __________________ Too set in his ways to ever relate If he could set that aside, there'd be heaven to pay But weathered and aged, time swept him to grave Love conquers all? Damn, I'd say that area's gray

08-30-2005, 05:48 PM	#8
Arledrian Egyptian Goddess of the Dead Join Date: July 12, 2001 Location: South Carolina Age: 40 Posts: 3,771	If someone's recounting their story with obvious relish and that sort of self-satisfied smugness that comes with an upcoming laugh, I'll let them re-tell it. If the story's bland to all concerned I'll be like "heh, yeah.. I remember you mentioning that." __________________ Marvellous banter; I am bereft of ribs.

08-30-2005, 05:20 PM	#2
Legolas Jack Burton Join Date: March 31, 2001 Location: The zephyr lands beneath the brine. Age: 39 Posts: 5,459	If it's a good or brief story, by all means let them retell. Otherwise you might hint at faintly remembering hearing something like that before, but of course it won't do to groan and beg not to have to sit through that old story again.

08-30-2005, 05:38 PM	#6
Jorath Calar Harper Join Date: October 6, 2001 Location: Iceland Posts: 4,706	Yeps depends on who it is... and ofcourse the story... [img]smile.gif[/img]

08-30-2005, 05:43 PM	#7
Kakero 40th Level Warrior Join Date: March 24, 2002 Posts: 10,215	If it's other people. I'll tell them that they've told me that story before. If it's my mum I'll just listen quietly and agrees to whatever she was talking about, no choice really, since I can never defeat her in an argument.

08-30-2005, 06:28 PM	#9
shadowhound Ma'at - Goddess of Truth & Justice Join Date: November 24, 2001 Location: Australia Age: 37 Posts: 3,281	Usually if it sounds familier I cut in early with I think you told me this one already, but keep going just so I can check. If it is short/funny I will let them finish it and tell them after that they had already told me but since it was "a good one" I didnt mind hearing it again. Otherwise I cut in and let them know. __________________ Carpe Noctem: Ph’nglui mglw’nafh cthulhu r’lyeh wgah’nagl fhtagn.

08-30-2005, 08:46 PM	#10
Illumina Drathiran'ar Apophis Join Date: July 10, 2002 Location: I can see the Manhattan skyline from my window. Age: 38 Posts: 4,673	If it's a good/short story, by all means let them tell it. If you have no wish to hear it again, then what I like to do is say "Oh yeah, you told me that!" The key is to sound like I'm just remembering hearing it, like I had forgotten I'd heard the story. That way it's not like "Yes, you told me." but more along the lines of "Oh, look at us, forgetting things all over. No worries, though." __________________ http://cavestory.org PLAY THIS GAME. Seriously. http://xkcd.com/386/ http://www.xkcd.com/406/ My heart is like my coffee. Black, bitter, icy, and with a straw.

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