I realize that I'm an OLD WOMAN ---but my mother taught me good manners. I hope I passed this on to my sons--and I hope they pass it on to their children. BUT--somewhere along the line, manners seem to have 'gone out the window'!!!! What has happened??? It really worries me since I see this rudeness and lack of manners in MANY adults today. IF the adults act this way, their children and grandchildren will definitely pick up on it, and they will act the same way as they grow up. Scary, isn't it?????
"Please don't be rude. Where are your manners?"
Here are some of the ways I have experienced rudeness from adults lately:
1. CELLPHONES: One of my biggest pet peeves is seeing adults on cellphones 24/7... They also talk LOUDLY --and it always happens when we are eating a nice dinner at a restaurant. Gads--what are they thinking!??
Last week, we were eating at the KFC when a young mother came in to get a take-out order of chicken. She had a child (about age 5 or 6) at her side --and was talking LOUDLY on the cellphone. The child was screaming to get Mama's attention ---begging for some mashed potatoes with his chicken. Mama stopped talking on her cell just long enough to place her order. The child kept screaming --but Mama went right back to that 'important' cellphone conversation. A few minutes later, she got her order and left---with the child continuing to scream. And guess what??? When she left, she was STILL talking on the cellphone. Unbelievable!!!!
One more thing which bothers me about cellphones is when you are with someone ---and THEY take a phone call or get a text message while you are trying to enjoy their company. To me --this is totally rude and unacceptable.
2. RUDENESS: George and I visit our local Kroger's Store on Wednesdays because we Seniors get a 5% discount that day. WELL--- why do so many Seniors (NOT us of course--ha) meet in the middle of a grocery isle and have a long conversation----as if they haven't seen each other for a day or two?????? When I say "Excuse Me" ---they look at me as if I've called their mother a bad name! PUH-LEASE---just move out of the isles!!!!! That's just RUDE.
OR---even worse than that is someone (99% of the time a woman) who leaves her buggy in the center of the isle ---so that you can't get by her while she leisurely shops all around.. Ugh!!!
Here's one more incident along this line. We were standing in a long line of people waiting to check out at Lowe's recently. The woman in front of us didn't even bother to look for her checkbook UNTIL the clerk gave her her total. She fumbled around --finally pulling out the checkbook. It seemed to take her 15 minutes (maybe not that long---but surely about 13) to find the checkbook, a pen (which was buried in her purse also), and then another fumbling time searching for her driver's license to show some identification. I tried to be patient (which is not my best virtue) ---but I kept wondering if that woman even realized that there were many of us waiting to check out behind her. She was oblivious to what was going on around her. Where were her manners????? (I kept quiet---so at least, one of us had some manners!!!)
3. LACK of RESPECT: This happened a year or so ago when George and I were eating dinner at the Cumberland Mountain State Park Restaurant. The tables were close together there, but I am always aware of others sitting nearby. Some lady sat behind me ---and gave my chair a big BUMP---not just once but several times. The first time, I turned around and "I" said, "I'm sorry." She said NOTHING. Well---it kept happening ---and I kept moving my chair closer to my table. She never ONCE said anything to me ---but her actions certainly made for a not-so-great dinner for me. I left and didn't say anything to her---but I probably should have.
My kids would probably say to me: "Mom, just ignore them, and get over it." BUT--since I grew up learning to say things like I'm Sorry, or Excuse Me, or Please, or Thank You----along with some basic manners which should come naturally to all of us ----well, it bothers me to see people (especially adults ) being so oblivious to others around them, and truly showing no respect.
What are some of the things which may have happened to you where people don't seem to use good manners???? Is it just ME???? Should I just ignore them???? Hmmmmmm---lots of things to think about here!!!!! BUT--in the meantime, I'll get back to my 'joyful' life--and go outside and smell the roses!!! HA HA!
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On another note, did anyone see "Three Rivers" on TV last night (CBS) with Mandy Patinkin????? Oh My Gosh-----so very, very sad, but a fabulous show. I cried my eyes out!!!
Hugs,
P.S. ALL of the pictures I have used today are from the INTERNET.