Excuse Me, Please and Thank You...such lonely words!

Ahh, New York in the spring. Nothing like a bit 'o sun to have folks out and about. Sadly, with a rise in temperature...there is an almost equal rise in the lack of courtesy. I don’t mean over the top, I mean just some common “your-momma-taught-you-manners” courtesy. I really can't explain it, yet I am constantly disappointed and often embarrassed by the lack of it.

Webster defines Courtesy as:
1 a: courteous behavior b: a courteous act or politeness that shows consideration for other people or good manners. 2 something done out of politeness or consideration for another person.

I'm not sure when it became gauche to say, “please, excuse me, and thank you”. I don’t remember getting the fax that read “common courtesy is no longer required, nor expected in your daily dealings with people”. I must have missed the email that read “to show how important you are, make everyone you come in contact with feel like a worthless piece of gum. (You know what I really want to say here, but I am too polite to). I never knew when getting on or off the bus or train, became a full-on contact sport.

To say that I’ve had a few ‘interesting’ opportunities to deal with the public is an understatement. I have had more than one opportunity where I’ve asked (in my outside voice) if the offending person was raised by animals? My deepest apologies to animals, even they know better.

What ever happened to the teachings of Emily Post? Look, I’m not saying men should tip their hat, however some of the younger generation should start with pulling up their pants (again, that outside voice of mine). Gentlemen, if you are on the bus and you see a woman who is 24months pregnant, don’t hide behind the newspaper. Give her your seat for the love of god!! Likewise, ladies if you are standing in the way as the train doors open, step to the side or at least move your two-ton purse. Besides the extra weight being bad for your back, you don’t have that much make-up to bring with you unless your name is Tammy Faye Baker.

I feel as if I’m on a tirade the last few weeks, but like the ‘race issue’ that has become part of this years political debate, shouldn’t we debate being kinder, civil…just at the very least acknowledge each other? Maybe it’s all the advancements in technology that cause this lack of personal acknowledgment, responsibility and interplay. Maybe it’s email, text-ing (curse you blackberry!!), and forgetting that we are human, with feelings and emotions. Is it possible that in the country that professes to be ‘advanced’, we are actually no longer civilized? I hope that’s not the case. It may be possible, dare I say probable if we “R-E-S-P-E-C-T” each other a bit more; said “Thank-you, Please and … I’m Sorry” the world would be a better place. Treat others like we want to be treated. Wow…what an idea!!

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog!