I’m ordering at the McD’s drive-thru and I’m saying “please” and “thank-you” to the tinny voice on the speaker. You’d think being polite made me some kind of alien. I halfway think the girl taking the orders thought I was being sarcastic. I was at the grocery and struck up a congenial conversation with the checkout girl – once again, the Martians had landed! When did the general public trust move so far away from social niceties? No, it doesn’t count if people are contractually obligated by the terms of their employment to say, “Have a nice day.” I have to resist the urge to turn to the dark side and throttle these people. “No Sir, we’re very sorry we are unable to take the slightest effort and help you resolve your problem. But, please, have a nice day! B’bye!” Grrr…
I know I’m getting older. I’ve even sat on the swing on my porch – on purpose, not just because I was locked out of the house. I’m not ready to say “In my day we only… blah blah blah.” I’m not just talking about unpolite kids younger than me; I’m seeing a decline across the board. I’ve had just as many senior citizens blow me off as high schoolers. I checked my deodorant – still working. I even bought some breath mints just in case. People ignore minty-fresh politeness just as much as onion-burrito-for-lunch politeness.
It’s that darn rap music isn’t it? No wait, baby boomers did this! No, yuppies and their latch-key kids! What about sexual content on TV? Violence in the movies? Bad David Spade films?
It doesn’t matter.
Try and make a social contract. Say please. Say thank-you. Smile once in a while.
And mean it.
Damnit.