Wednesday, April 05, 2006
A Plea for Manners
OK...I am not that old - I'm only 38 - but I find myself becoming more and more appalled by the lack of manners of the "younger folks."
Let's start with a simple "Please" and "Thank You." Whatever happened to thanking a person if they patronized your business and you'd like for them to come again? I go in some places these day and I feel lucky if I'm looked at and grunted at. Is saying please so hard either? It's amazing how much more willing I am to do a request when it's prefaced by a "please."
Maybe it's because I grew up in Texas, but I never understood people getting upset by being called, "Ma'am" or "Sir." Yes, technically you are only supposed to use "ma'am" or "sir" if the person you are speaking to is older or holds a position of authority, but if I happen to use it and I'm older than you are or hold a higher position, don't be offended! I say it as a sign of respect - and a sign that my Mother would thunk me in the back of the head if I ever answered a question without "ma'am" or "sir" at the end of the sentence.
There's a chicken place not too far from my house that I went to a month or two ago. While I was ordering my food and when I was at the drive up window, the lady that was in the chicken place was so nice and a big part of her niceness was in the fact that she said "Please drive forward" and "Thank you for being so patient while we get you some fresh chicken" and "Please come again" served with a very sincere smile. So as I was driving home from work today, I thought of what good service I got when I was last there and stopped by for some chicken.
All I'm asking is this, Gentle Reader - Please consider incorporating manners in your life again.
Thank you!
:-)
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Let's start with a simple "Please" and "Thank You." Whatever happened to thanking a person if they patronized your business and you'd like for them to come again? I go in some places these day and I feel lucky if I'm looked at and grunted at. Is saying please so hard either? It's amazing how much more willing I am to do a request when it's prefaced by a "please."
Maybe it's because I grew up in Texas, but I never understood people getting upset by being called, "Ma'am" or "Sir." Yes, technically you are only supposed to use "ma'am" or "sir" if the person you are speaking to is older or holds a position of authority, but if I happen to use it and I'm older than you are or hold a higher position, don't be offended! I say it as a sign of respect - and a sign that my Mother would thunk me in the back of the head if I ever answered a question without "ma'am" or "sir" at the end of the sentence.
There's a chicken place not too far from my house that I went to a month or two ago. While I was ordering my food and when I was at the drive up window, the lady that was in the chicken place was so nice and a big part of her niceness was in the fact that she said "Please drive forward" and "Thank you for being so patient while we get you some fresh chicken" and "Please come again" served with a very sincere smile. So as I was driving home from work today, I thought of what good service I got when I was last there and stopped by for some chicken.
All I'm asking is this, Gentle Reader - Please consider incorporating manners in your life again.
Thank you!
:-)
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