Patamateria

Oi! Manners!

December 24th, 2007

Scenario 1:  I was in a DIY store, trying to browse among the door latches but was unable to move along the aisle because it was blocked by three people: two men and a woman. They were obviously all together, chatting, one man leaning on the trolley they were sharing. One way or another it was impossible to get past them or get at the shelves I wanted. A couple of time I said ‘Excuse me… Can I just get past please’… that sort of thing. Not only did they not move at all, but one man gave me a look that you would normally direct at something under a stone. Now you may think I am describing loutish yobs… but no. I guess they were early 60s, well dressed and groomed and she had a very expensive handbag….
Scenario 2:  As I’m going through a door I hold it open for the person after me, a young woman half my age - who sails through it… and past me - without a word. Should I have curtsied…? Mmm.
Scenario 3: I stop to let a loud, screeching, straggling family across the road in front of me in a busy supermarket car park. Mum is busy yelling at the kids but dad, bringing up the rear with a toddler, turns and smiles at me and mouths ‘Thank You’.

Just three examples of incidents from the last couple of months.. So what is happening in society? Is courtesy now dying or dead? Actually, it is still very much alive in pockets all over the place but often totally lacking in places where you would traditionally expect to find it.

But my pet hate:

When someone in e.g. a supermarket walks past you and just when level with your ear chooses that moment to yell at someone else in the shop. One day I’m going to scream back. Or are there any other suggestions?!

There appears to be no real pattern of rudeness… no one age group or social class is all one thing or the other. In the end it seems to be a very personal choice: whether to show courtesy in your words and actions towards others…or not. And with so many adults making poor choices which are already impacting on society… what hope is there for their children?

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