Does it also bother you? Or is it just me, sweating the small stuff? 
Entering an office building lobby yesterday morning, I held the door open to let a young woman to pass through. She marched by, nose up like Miss America, avoiding eye contact, ignoring me, as if I was not there. Is it really too much to ask for a little smile or a simple "Thank you"?
Well, okay.... she might have been preoccupied in her thoughts, day dreaming or something like that... Perhaps she's accustomed to be treated like royalty all the time, having her servants pampering her and kissing her ass constantly? Who knows? But no matter what her excuse might have been - to me, her behavior was none other than rude and disrespectful. I suspect, however, this kind of attitude might have been just a sign of her ignorance. She simply does not know any better. And why should she? She's never heard her parents to say "please" or "thank you". Nobody lead her by example, endorsing courtesy and polite manners. Her family, the school system, the whole society failed miserably by not showing her what does it mean to be a compassionate, caring human being.
And there's nothing to it, really. I'm not even talking about any grandiose, noble deeds but just about those brief and simple moments of random kindness - the little things, that make us feel better about ourselves and could help us to sail through the day a bit easier. But way too often they don't, only because someone wipes the smile off our faces by acting like a rude jerk.
Just the other day, I found myself in an awkward situation: carrying a file box with my both hands I struggled to open a front door. After a score of folks walked by indifferently, finally a young man leaving the same building paused and held the door open for me to get in. Nice guy, crossed my mind... but only for a split second, until I noticed this agonizing expression on his face, demonstrating how much pain he's just suffered by offering me a helping hand. And then, responding to my "Thank you", he snapped in the most contemptuous tone in his voice: "Yeah...".
What kind of answer is that? Has he already used his daily limit of "Welcome" words and could not waste another one on me? Who knows? And who cares! Again: rude and disrespectful! I recall a similar episode while back: A middle-age woman replied to my grateful "Thank you!": "Hmmm...", without looking at me or even opening her mouth. I missed my chance to tell her: "Sorry ma'm, English is my second language, but I believe a right and polite answer should be: "You're welcome!". And let me ask you a question: what do you tell to your kids if they ask you: "Mommy, what do I suppose to say if someone thanks me for something?". Do you teach them, the correct answer is: "HMMM"?
I could have told her that, but I did not - because.... why to take the trouble? She'd probably just walked away without getting my point anyway.
Small potatoes? Perhaps. But be aware! Small potatoes usually tend to multiply a multiply and some of them grow bigger and bigger and bigger.......
Cheers (if you find something to cheer about),
Milo
Entering an office building lobby yesterday morning, I held the door open to let a young woman to pass through. She marched by, nose up like Miss America, avoiding eye contact, ignoring me, as if I was not there. Is it really too much to ask for a little smile or a simple "Thank you"?
Well, okay.... she might have been preoccupied in her thoughts, day dreaming or something like that... Perhaps she's accustomed to be treated like royalty all the time, having her servants pampering her and kissing her ass constantly? Who knows? But no matter what her excuse might have been - to me, her behavior was none other than rude and disrespectful. I suspect, however, this kind of attitude might have been just a sign of her ignorance. She simply does not know any better. And why should she? She's never heard her parents to say "please" or "thank you". Nobody lead her by example, endorsing courtesy and polite manners. Her family, the school system, the whole society failed miserably by not showing her what does it mean to be a compassionate, caring human being.
And there's nothing to it, really. I'm not even talking about any grandiose, noble deeds but just about those brief and simple moments of random kindness - the little things, that make us feel better about ourselves and could help us to sail through the day a bit easier. But way too often they don't, only because someone wipes the smile off our faces by acting like a rude jerk.
Just the other day, I found myself in an awkward situation: carrying a file box with my both hands I struggled to open a front door. After a score of folks walked by indifferently, finally a young man leaving the same building paused and held the door open for me to get in. Nice guy, crossed my mind... but only for a split second, until I noticed this agonizing expression on his face, demonstrating how much pain he's just suffered by offering me a helping hand. And then, responding to my "Thank you", he snapped in the most contemptuous tone in his voice: "Yeah...".
What kind of answer is that? Has he already used his daily limit of "Welcome" words and could not waste another one on me? Who knows? And who cares! Again: rude and disrespectful! I recall a similar episode while back: A middle-age woman replied to my grateful "Thank you!": "Hmmm...", without looking at me or even opening her mouth. I missed my chance to tell her: "Sorry ma'm, English is my second language, but I believe a right and polite answer should be: "You're welcome!". And let me ask you a question: what do you tell to your kids if they ask you: "Mommy, what do I suppose to say if someone thanks me for something?". Do you teach them, the correct answer is: "HMMM"?
I could have told her that, but I did not - because.... why to take the trouble? She'd probably just walked away without getting my point anyway.
Small potatoes? Perhaps. But be aware! Small potatoes usually tend to multiply a multiply and some of them grow bigger and bigger and bigger.......
Cheers (if you find something to cheer about),
Milo
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