Today, I found out that you can give your grandpa a Vietnam flashback when you set off a leftover firecracker from New Years. I also found out that a 76 year old hits pretty fucking hard when freaking out. FML
Collection
Halloween
A failed costume, stolen candy and a very real scare: Halloween, the one night when fear is allowed.
Today, in honor of America's birthday, my 50-year-old father decided to light off homemade bombs without telling anyone. The screams of me and my family members were louder than the bombs. FML
Today, I was lighting fireworks for my cousin's birthday in my grandmother's yard. When it came time to light the "Grand Finale", I read on the outside of the box, "Face this side towards crowd for the best result". After I lit it, I realized that it was on its side. I shot 100 fireworks at my family. FML
Today, my family was celebrating my grandma's 90th birthday. I pulled a little prank and got candles that keep relighting. After a few blows, my grandma fainted. FML
Today, my dad woke me up by shaking me and saying "If you're not up in two minutes, I'm lighting a firecracker in your room." Thinking he wouldn't possibly set off a firecracker in the house, much less my room, I decided to call his bluff. My room still smells like gunpowder. FML
Today, my idiot redneck next door neighbor decided to throw an empty whipped cream spray can into a fire to watch it explode and scare half the neighborhood. That idiot redneck next door neighbor is also my 65 year-old dad. FML
Today, I found out that the loud "firecrackers" I heard the night before were actually shotgun blasts by my neighbor murdering his girlfriend. FML
Today, I twisted my knee while cutting firewood with my grandpa. The pain was so crippling, I fell over screaming. His response? "Quit your bitching, I had my kneecaps blown off in Vietnam. They had to stitch 'em back on." He's never been to Vietnam, or even out of the country. FML
Today, we surprised my grandpa by being at his house when he arrived. We haven't seen him in seven years. He had a small heart attack. It was his birthday. FML
Today, my grandpa who is staying with us mistook me for a Japanese soldier and started to hit me with a bat. This is the second night in a row. FML
Today, my grandpa was visiting. My neighbors started blasting out rap music, as they've done nearly 24/7 for months, telling me to fuck off when I complain. He went over and screamed he'd gut them like fish if they didn't pipe down. They did. He's 68 and still more intimidating than me. FML
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Top comments
Tripartita 45
That's why I carry firecrackers around whenever I'm with my veteran grandfather. In case I ever piss somebody off, I know I'm a lighter-flick away from Hulk-level protection. Some people think I'm exploitative and douchey, but to them I say… *takes out lighter and firecrackers*
muncherofice 19
The new year started out with a bang I suppose. Hopefully your grandpa is ok.
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Comments (58)
imerichello 18
Sorry to hear about that op, hope nothing serious happened to You
shesaywha 19
Yeah, it's not like he's a Vietnam vet or anything.
Lalala579121 28
I dunno, making your Vietnam vet grandpa freak out and hit you seems kinda serious to me.
cacheson 42
Maybe you should have warned him first.
oceanbrickfire 21
Even if OP warned him he still could've had a flashback.
Kiernan151 25
Well 16 I'm guessing that he doesn't have too many flashbacks because if it was leftover from new years, since they used fireworks on new years I am assuming he wasn't flipping out on everyone for hours, especially if there was only a single firecracker left, so if he was warned he probably wouldn't have.
Seabass_Chan 33
PTSD doesn't generally work like that. It's possible the grandfather might not have even known he'd react that way.
cacheson 42
If warned, even if it would freak him out he could either be freaked out slightly less or even go somewhere else to avoid the loud noise.
grunt_fml 17
As someone else already said, PTSD does not work like that, genius. He can not chose to "freak out less". Do you tell people they should have less fever or headache? And he might not even know that he reacts that way. He might have no problems with fireworks in case he knows what is going on, but freaks out when caught off guard.
cacheson 42
As a matter of fact, I have PTSD and if I'm prepared I can often brace myself or decide if I need to leave, and I have a pretty good idea of what things might set me off. Living with it is something that you learn to do after a while. I am not saying that it would have been a foolproof way to avoid the problem, just that giving him a chance to make a decision might have helped.
cacheson 42
Also, it seems pretty obvious to me that firecrackers might sound like gunshots. The grandfather would probably know that, and know that he had PTSD. I'd also be wary of that if I had a war veteran in my family and maybe just tell him to go somewhere else preemptively.
moodyreallyrocks 27
Hope he's doing well OP..
muncherofice 19
The new year started out with a bang I suppose. Hopefully your grandpa is ok.
FEATHDUCK 19
I think OP being ok is something better to hope for.
Tripartita 45
That's why I carry firecrackers around whenever I'm with my veteran grandfather. In case I ever piss somebody off, I know I'm a lighter-flick away from Hulk-level protection. Some people think I'm exploitative and douchey, but to them I say… *takes out lighter and firecrackers*
evanmurphy 14
He just had a flashback. Things are not easy at war. I hope you, and your grandpa are okay.
MasterTron 24
And they did a lot of messed up shit in that war on both sides, my grandfather told me some of the things he did and saw. I dont blame OPs grandfather for reacting like that.
evanmurphy 14
I agree. The war was traumatic and those memories can't be nice.
arano 29
You don't **** with grandpa
apcsox 18
That's inconsiderate to do around a veteran. PTSD is a serious thing that effects our brothers and sisters in arms for the rest of their lives. YDI times infinity.
MikaykayUnicorn 36
Finally, someone with a brain. You never know what could cause a flashback, and they aren't something to joke about. YDI OP.
izntdan 14
Maybe they didn't knew he would have flash backs or even that he had PTSD. It's not like OP did it for a joke. It sucks for both of them but I wouldn't say OP deserves it
lantz4levi 19
If your a Vietnam vet chances are you have ptsd. I don't care who you are.
MasterTron 24
Even the vets still around from ww2 still have PTSD in some way.
Fairyjoshy 13
Considering it's leftover fireworks, they probably didn't know that it would set their grandfather's PTSD off *because* the fireworks didn't set them off before. Granted, there's other ways that it could have been their fault, but without a follow up, it's not enough to judge on.
cnbcad 15
If you want to play jokes on people man up and take the results. You make unexpected explosions around a combat vet and you're not very bright
MannyM 20
thats just one of those things you should expect from a veteran. I hope both of you are fine now
DoomedGemini 38
My cousin who came back a while ago couldn't be around fireworks without dropping to the ground or something similar. It's common for veterans to react like that, it sounds too similar to gun shots or bombs. You need to be careful.