Did I go to far? Etiquette!

JerseyTex

I was shopping buying some ribs on sale. I pick them up then headed to the produce to get salad stuff. I am in the produce section I see a guy with a cart with a print out in his basket of a big green egg recipe. So I started talking to him asking him "What are you cooking" He looked at me as if WTF and he just kinda continued to look at me. So I then said how long you got your egg. I dont know if I startled him or what.

 My question is did I go to far? Should I have ignored him when I saw the BGE recipe? What is the Etiquette?

johnkitchens

I would have talked to him as well. I like meeting other eggers when I am out and about. He probably has a KJ instead of an egg anyway. 

RRP

not at all!!! Guy was probably not accustomed to strangers talking to him. People say the same thing about me that they used to say about my late Father..."George never knew a stranger!" I'm proud I have carried that on.

tfhanson

Or he might have been a Weber dude, stealing one of our secret recipes...

lousubcap

Did he know the difference between direct and indirect cooks??    No breach of etiquette in my book.

GATraveller

Maybe he was high.

bbqlearner

Not a problem for me - would have loved to talk to some eggers and exchange pointers.

WeberWho

I once had a store GM come up and thank me after one of his employees was struggling to explain BGE questions with a customer.  I think most eggheads are wonderful people and would have been more than happy to talk to a complete stranger about Q.  

FanOfFanboys

GATraveller said:

Maybe he was high.

Was it me he saw at the store!?

FanOfFanboys

Generally I say if you have to ask, yes. But not in this case. Who knows what the guy had on his mind, lost in thought, etc. 
I would rather be friendly 100% of the time to people and get rejected part of it than to never be friendly and miss out on all the people who would have been friendly back. 

tarheelmatt

Dear guy that approached me at the grocery store today.  Next time, approach me with your zipper up instead of down while asking me where can you find cucumbers, bologna, trouser trout, and cod.  

Regards, 

Ozzie_Isaac

His wife probably printed it off and gave it to him to get the ingredients.

He was also probably wondering why a strange man was asking about his eggs.

I generally start off with, "Hey I noticed ____ , and was just wondering _____ because I saw that" .... wait for response.  Then continue conversation with new friend, or knock the jerks cart over and walk off.

SmokeyPitt

Ozzie_Isaac said:

His wife probably printed it off and gave it to him to get the ingredients.

He was also probably wondering why a strange man was asking about his eggs.

I generally start off with, "Hey I noticed ____ , and was just wondering _____ because I saw that" .... wait for response.  Then continue conversation with new friend, or knock the jerks cart over and walk off.

Don't forget to drop the mic.

theyolksonyou

Really pissed me off when I had to pick all the sh!t up. Jerk face. 

Jeepster47

@JerseyTex ... your screen name hints that you're a Texan relocated to New Jersey.  If that's so, then you need to forget all you've learned about relating to folks ... don't wave, don't smile, don't make eye contact, don't say hi, don't approach a stranger and act polite.  Yes I know you do that stuff in Texas, but in New Jersey that stuff makes you just plain suspect.

Ozzie_Isaac

Also, when in New Jersey remember everyone is unarmed.  That is why they ditched politeness.

Egghead_Daron

Jeepster47 said:

@JerseyTex ... your screen name hints that you're a Texan relocated to New Jersey.  If that's so, then you need to forget all you've learned about relating to folks ... don't wave, don't smile, don't make eye contact, don't say hi, don't approach a stranger and act polite.  Yes I know you do that stuff in Texas, but in New Jersey that stuff makes you just plain suspect.

Agreed. Anytime I was up that way for work I was amazed at how unfriendly people are. I recall holding a door open for a guy walking into a convenience store just being polite and he looked at me like I was going to rob him.

Ladeback69

No you were not in the wrong, but  I try to talk to everyone.  I haven't met anyone I can't get to talk to me yet.  Maybe next time if you see a flyer, ask them if they have an BGE.  That may help.  I was looking to getting some salmon to cook this winter and the butcher had no clue what He was telling me how to cook it in the oven when I asked that should work on my egg.  I tried to educate him, but he just didn't get it.  The other store I got to there is a butcher there that relates and understands all kinds of BBQ ways.  

tarheelmatt

Ozzie_Isaac said:

His wife probably printed it off and gave it to him to get the ingredients.

He was also probably wondering why a strange man was asking about his eggs.

I generally start off with, "Hey I noticed ____ , and was just wondering _____ because I saw that" .... wait for response.  Then continue conversation with new friend, or knock the jerks cart over and walk off.

Probably that same guy where his wife asked where everything is for the Mini Max buy....

henapple

I usually start with. .."hey, you're an egger...what do you think of the Baltimore thing".

fishlessman

maybe he just doesnt like texans, i see alot of that up here we dont like anybody

Fredb

No breach here as far as I am concerned. Would love someone to approach me that way because that is how I am.

northGAcock

Not at all down south! 

Acn

fishlessman said:

maybe he just doesnt like texans, i see alot of that up here we dont like anybody

Northern New England - where they sell bumper stickers that read "Why is it called tourist season if I can't shoot them?"

DoubleEgger

Maybe he thought you were trying to pick him up. 

evie1370

I am having a bad day at work, office politics stuff and jerk-faces. Thanks so much for making me laugh, I needed this! Another reason I love this forum!

In regards to your question, no you did nothing wrong. Probably caught the guy off guard. My husband, who is from NY, had to be constantly reminded that people are friendly here in Cincy, and when they say 'Hi' and wave to you they are not trying to rob you...just nice people. He gets it now.

tarheelmatt

DoubleEgger said:

Maybe he thought you were trying to pick him up. 

After he followed the guy to the restroom, the other person probably thought enough is enough.  

Spydermunky

I work with a guy that has a BGE too, and every time I try to talk recipes or tricks with him he changes the conversation...  I've recommended to him that he sell his egg to someone who understands the responsibility we have to talk about them with each other constantly... 

Ozzie_Isaac

I'm lucky.  I have a guy on my team who is also a BBQ fanatic.  We can discuss minutiae for hours.  The teamates just roll their eyes and go back to sampling what we bring in.

johnmitchell

I think its cool to strike up a conversation... Just don't ask him for his pizza dough recipe...

theyolksonyou

@johnmitchell well played sir!