--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whenever I see an old lady slip and fall…" description: "\"Whenever I see an old lady slip and fall on a wet sidewalk, my first instinct is to laugh. But then I think, what if I was an ant, and she fell on me. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b6/jack-handey-829_ants_whenever-i-see-an-old-lady-slip-and-fall_600960.jpg" --- # Whenever I see an old lady slip and fall on a wet… ![“Whenever I see an old lady slip and fall on a wet sidewalk, my first instinct is to laugh. But then I think, what if I was an ant, and she fell on me. Then it wouldn't seem quite so funny.” quote by Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b6/jack-handey-829_ants_whenever-i-see-an-old-lady-slip-and-fall_600960.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b6/jack-handey-829_ants_whenever-i-see-an-old-lady-slip-and-fall_600960.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b6/jack-handey-829_ants_whenever-i-see-an-old-lady-slip-and-fall_600960.jpg) > “Whenever I see an old lady slip and fall on a wet sidewalk, my first instinct is to laugh. But then I think, what if I was an ant, and she fell on me. Then it wouldn't seem quite so funny.” [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Initial amusement at another’s misfortune can turn to empathy when imagining oneself in their position, revealing the fragility of humor. **In simple terms:** Laughing at a fall may feel wrong when you imagine being the victim. Key Takeaway Consider others’ perspectives before reacting. Themes empathy humor perspective Mood reflective lighthearted Type ethical observational When to use this quote - public spaces - accidental injuries - social media reactions - personal reflections Key Concepts Moral psychology social cognition Questions to Reflect On - What would change your reaction to someone’s mishap? - How can you cultivate empathy in everyday moments? A Different Perspective Humor can desensitize; empathy restores humanity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ant Fell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ant-fell-4899971/) [Ants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ants/) [Fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall/) [Fell Wouldn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fell-wouldn-339531/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Greatest love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-love/) [Instinct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instinct/) [Laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laugh/) [Laugh Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laugh-think/) [Laughing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughing/) [Old lady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-lady/) [Sidewalk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sidewalk/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [What if](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/what-if/) ## Related quotes > [So much had happened that morning. Yet it was this image, this moment, that i kept going back to hours later, after we'd made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/so-much-had-happened-that-morning-yet-it-was-this-image-this-moment/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [I did put on weight for the last half of the film, but the Ferris wheel scene was shot with a harness on me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-gosling/i-did-put-on-weight-for-the-last-half-of-the-film-but-the-ferris/) [Ryan Gosling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-gosling/) > [“I don't think I could love you if your nose fell off because you wouldn't take reasonable care of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-jute/i-don-t-think-i-could-love-you-if-your-nose-fell-off-because-you/) [Andre Jute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-jute/) > [We were enlightened people and we fell for this; why wouldn't Muslims fall for this?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfons-heck/we-were-enlightened-people-and-we-fell-for-this-why-wouldn-t-muslims/) [Alfons Heck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfons-heck/) > [When you go apartment-hunting in the South, you encounter little old ladies who ask you if you use strong drink. In New York you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-king/when-you-go-apartment-hunting-in-the-south-you-encounter-little-old/) [Florence King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-king/) > [If they have moving sidewalks in the future, when you get on them, I think you should have to assume sort of a walking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/if-they-have-moving-sidewalks-in-the-future-when-you-get-on-them-i/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Today I accidentally stepped on a snail on the sidewalk in front of our house. And I thought, I too am like that snail.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/today-i-accidentally-stepped-on-a-snail-on-the-sidewalk-in-front-of/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Even when I watch it, I laugh, because I think, 'That's me! I'm on 'Seinfeld.''](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-zimmer/even-when-i-watch-it-i-laugh-because-i-think-that-s-me-i-m-on-seinfeld/) [Constance Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-zimmer/) > [“I laugh and laugh and laugh, and I think about stabbing Ms. Robertson with the knife I don’t have in my shoe. Lighting this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/i-laugh-and-laugh-and-laugh-and-i-think-about-stabbing-ms-robertson/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [I've always tried to be funny, or stupid, or whatever. I love making people laugh and I think it comes quite naturally to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-littrell/i-ve-always-tried-to-be-funny-or-stupid-or-whatever-i-love-making/) [Brian Littrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-littrell/) > [“What are you trying to say?" All men have the stars," he answered, "but they are not the same things for different people. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/what-are-you-trying-to-say-all-men-have-the-stars-he-answered-but/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Everybody needs someone who can make them laugh when they think that they'll never smile again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everybody-needs-someone-who-can-make-them-laugh-when-they-think-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We're so insecure, comedians. 'Did you laugh? Do you think I was funny?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barratt/we-re-so-insecure-comedians-did-you-laugh-do-you-think-i-was-funny/) [Julian Barratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barratt/) > [I love the people who can make me laugh when I think I can't even smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/i-love-the-people-who-can-make-me-laugh-when-i-think-i-can-t-even/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [The funniest people I know were, not necessarily troubled, but had a harder time in school or were shy or picked on or something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaitlin-olson/the-funniest-people-i-know-were-not-necessarily-troubled-but-had-a/) [Kaitlin Olson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaitlin-olson/) ## More by Jack Handey > [Sometimes life seems like a dream, especially when I look down and see that I forgot to put on my pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-life-seems-like-a-dream-especially-when-i-look-down-and-see/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [I think the best Thanksgiving we ever had was one where we didn't even have a turkey. Mom and Dad sat us kids down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-think-the-best-thanksgiving-we-ever-had-was-one-where-we-didn-t/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [At first I thought, if I were Superman, a perfect secret identity would be "Clark Kent, Dentist," because you could save money on tooth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/at-first-i-thought-if-i-were-superman-a-perfect-secret-identity-would/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Sometimes I wonder if I'm patriotic enough. Yes, I want to kill people, but on both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-i-wonder-if-i-m-patriotic-enough-yes-i-want-to-kill-people/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [I don't understand people who say life is a mystery, because what is it they want to know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-don-t-understand-people-who-say-life-is-a-mystery-because-what-is/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [It's probably not a good idea to be chewing on a toothpick if you're talking to the president, because what if he tells a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/it-s-probably-not-a-good-idea-to-be-chewing-on-a-toothpick-if-you-re/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Probably to a shark, about the funniest thing there is is a wounded seal, trying to swim to shore, because WHERE DOES HE THINK…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/probably-to-a-shark-about-the-funniest-thing-there-is-is-a-wounded/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [I wish I lived back in the Old West days, because I'd save up my money for about twenty years so I could buy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-wish-i-lived-back-in-the-old-west-days-because-i-d-save-up-my-money/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Why do there have to be rules for everything? It's gotten to the point that rules dominate just about every aspect of our lives.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/why-do-there-have-to-be-rules-for-everything-it-s-gotten-to-the-point/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Most people don't realize that large pieces of coral, which have been painted brown and attached to the skull by common wood screws, can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/most-people-don-t-realize-that-large-pieces-of-coral-which-have-been/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Here's a suggestion for a new animal, if some new ones get created or evolve: something that stings you, then laughs at you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/here-s-a-suggestion-for-a-new-animal-if-some-new-ones-get-created-or/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [When you go ice-skating, try not to swing your arms too much, because that really annoys me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/when-you-go-ice-skating-try-not-to-swing-your-arms-too-much-because/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [When you go to a party at somebody's house, don't automatically assume that the drinks are free. Ask, and ask often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/when-you-go-to-a-party-at-somebody-s-house-don-t-automatically-assume/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [He was a cowboy, mister, and he loved the land. He loved it so much he made a woman out of dirt and married…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/he-was-a-cowboy-mister-and-he-loved-the-land-he-loved-it-so-much-he/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [If you were a gladiator in olden days, I bet the inefficiency of how the gladiator fights were organized and scheduled would just drive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/if-you-were-a-gladiator-in-olden-days-i-bet-the-inefficiency-of-how/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) [Explore all 358 Jack Handey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) ## More Ants quotes > [Some people are like ants. Give them a warm day and a piece of ground and they start digging. There the similarity ends. Ants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-borland/some-people-are-like-ants-give-them-a-warm-day-and-a-piece-of-ground/) [Hal Borland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-borland/) > [Great God of the Ants, thou hast granted victory to thy servants. I appoint thee honorary Colonel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karel-capek/great-god-of-the-ants-thou-hast-granted-victory-to-thy-servants-i/) [Karel Capek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karel-capek/) > [Pray look upon the plants and birds, the ants, spiders, and bees, and you will see them all exerting their nature, and busy in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/pray-look-upon-the-plants-and-birds-the-ants-spiders-and-bees-and-you/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [People are like ants: Just a few of them give all the orders. And most of them spend their lives getting squashed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/people-are-like-ants-just-a-few-of-them-give-all-the-orders-and-most/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [“Some people are ants by nature; they have to work, even when it’s useless. Few people have a talent for constructive laziness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/some-people-are-ants-by-nature-they-have-to-work-even-when-it-s/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [There's a good case to be made that having fun is a key evolutionary advantage right next to opposable thumbs in terms of importance.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raph-koster/there-s-a-good-case-to-be-made-that-having-fun-is-a-key-evolutionary/) [Raph Koster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raph-koster/) > [“THE FIGHTERS ARE TINY. INSECTS, REALLY. BUT ANTS CAN SLAY AN ELEPHANT, IF THERE ARE ENOUGH OF THEM. ESPECIALLY ANTS ARMED WITH HIGH-YIELD EXPLOSIVES…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amie-kaufman/the-fighters-are-tiny-insects-really-but-ants-can-slay-an-elephant-if/) [Amie Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amie-kaufman/) > [We know of no behavior in ants or any other social insects that can be construed as play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bert-holldobler/we-know-of-no-behavior-in-ants-or-any-other-social-insects-that-can/) [Bert Holldobler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bert-holldobler/) > [Oh, ants, my sisters, good old honeydew-seekers! From close up you are sticky and shiny and gristly; and your nymphs have parasitic red mites…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-t-vollmann/oh-ants-my-sisters-good-old-honeydew-seekers-from-close-up-you-are/) [William T. Vollmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-t-vollmann/) > [Albert and I would spend hours and hours looking at them. Cleo had this big magnifying glass on his desk, and we'd find centipedes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-flagg/albert-and-i-would-spend-hours-and-hours-looking-at-them-cleo-had/) [Fannie Flagg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-flagg/) > [When someone criticizes or disagrees with you, a small ant of hatred and antagonism is born in your heart. If you do not squash…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/when-someone-criticizes-or-disagrees-with-you-a-small-ant-of-hatred/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [“Lies are like ants; there's never just one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-ash/lies-are-like-ants-there-s-never-just-one/) [Julia Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-ash/) > [There's a scientific hypothesis that every person's name is a primary suggestive command that contains the entire script of their life in highly concentrated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-pelevin/there-s-a-scientific-hypothesis-that-every-person-s-name-is-a-primary/) [Victor Pelevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-pelevin/) > [When I was little, I would burn ants with a magnifying glass. But now that I'm older, I'm more of a cat guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/when-i-was-little-i-would-burn-ants-with-a-magnifying-glass-but-now/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [If ants were the size of humans, they would be able to run twice as fast as a Lamborghini.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-ants-were-the-size-of-humans-they-would-be-able-to-run-twice-as/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 499 Ants quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ants/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Whenever I see an old lady slip and fall on a wet sidewalk, my first instinct is to laugh. But then I think, what if I was an ant, and she fell on me. Then it wouldn't seem quite so funny.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jack Handey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/whenever-i-see-an-old-lady-slip-and-fall-on-a-wet-sidewalk-my-first/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ants" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/whenever-i-see-an-old-lady-slip-and-fall-on-a-wet-sidewalk-my-first/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b6/jack-handey-829_ants_whenever-i-see-an-old-lady-slip-and-fall_600960.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b6/jack-handey-829_ants_whenever-i-see-an-old-lady-slip-and-fall_600960.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b6/jack-handey-829_ants_whenever-i-see-an-old-lady-slip-and-fall_600960.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Whenever I see an old lady slip and fall on a wet sidewalk, my first instinct is to laugh. But then I think…” — Jack Handey", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jack Handey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Whenever I see an old lady...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/whenever-i-see-an-old-lady-slip-and-fall-on-a-wet-sidewalk-my-first/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/whenever-i-see-an-old-lady-slip-and-fall-on-a-wet-sidewalk-my-first/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```