Friday, September 14, 2007

Rudeness

Having been raised by a Southern woman who was raised by a Southern woman who was raised by a...well, to get to the point, I come from a long line of Southern women. And if I learned anything from these women, it was that rudeness, especially on purpose rudeness was wrong.

Wrong. Notice the period there? No extenuating circumstances. No racial/economic/gender/political/ethnic/employment status exemptions allowed.

If you were dealing with a human being, you were polite.

With that in mind, I found myself horrified and embarrassed at my local CSV this morning. I had stopped in for a couple of things and as I approached the counter, a woman about my age reached the counter first, cell phone glued to her ear, having what sounded like a personal conversation of no great importance. CVS lady said good morning. Cell phone lady continued her conversation, did not make eye contact, nod nor do anything in any fashion to acknowledge CVS lady. CVS lady rang up the purchases, told cell phone lady the total. Cell phone lady did her little debit card thingie, still flapping her jaws on the cell phone. CVS lady handed cell phone lady her bag and receipt and wished her a nice day. Cell phone lady walked away without once looking at or uttering a word to the CVS lady.

I was aghast. I found myself apologizing to the CVS lady (who is a very nice lady who always asks about the kittens when I go in because she used to develop all my pictures before I got the digital camera).

How, I want to know, can you have an interaction with another human being, no matter how trivial or routine, without acknowledging that person? Hello? A smile? A nod? A middle finger waving? Something?

I don't understand it.


Thor sez: You should head rub everyone you meet!

3 comments:

Sunnie (Kaytee) said...

Also as Southern women, we know that even if a customer service rep is being rude, we catch more flies with honey. I've found that if someone is ringing my purchases up and seems to have an attitude, I compliment them on something, or just be as nice as can be. Most of the time, they even crack a smile and I feel maybe I brightened their day some.
I can't stand people in line on their cell phones. I do it occasionally, but usually it's Jimmy reminding me to pick up something I've probably forgotten. And it lasts maybe 5 seconds. Otherwise, I tell whoever it is, I'm in line, can't talk, call you back.

Saphyre Rose said...

yeppers, another for my paint ball pillory!
I covered the whole cell phone crap on the very first maiden voyage of paint ball pillory, perhaps I should extend that cellphone in the bathroom pillory to extend to all cellphone behavior.

Anonymous said...

If you are slefish----selfcentered---thinking that the world revolves around your sweet self.....it never occurs to you that the person taking care of you---is a person....NOT A ROBOT!!! Bless you heart....I'm not from the South but I tooooo try to compliment or make small talk to whom ever is waiting on me. Pam, South Bend