Army of Mom

So this is how liberty dies ... with thunderous applause.

7.25.2006

Bad manners

I'm often shocked at the lack of manners people show. As a Southern girl, I was raised to say Yes Maam, No Sir, thank you, etc.

I was taught to put a napkin in my lap at dinner, sit up straight, don't talk with your mouth full and to be respectful of others.

Tonight, I'm sitting in Panera and writing. My dear husband took over the child-rearing for the evening so I could get some work done without refereeing arguments or grabbing juiceboxes. But, I'm so disgusted that I wrapped up my work and was ready to leave before I decided to get out the soapbox.

Three college students (presumably) are sitting across from me. They are talking so loudly (another no-no in the rules I was taught) in the restaurant that I have heard every word they said. They are about 10 feet away from me, too, to give you an idea of how loud they are. One Napolean Dynamite dork got a speeding ticket. I can understand being irritated and bummed and while I am known to spew forth some obscenities from time to time, I try to keep them muted from the general public. That whole manners thing and all.

So, after he continued to issue forth one curse word after another, then he let out a loud belch. Now, let me add that his girlfriend is sitting next to him. She didn't even flinch when he belched and didn't pardon himself. Let me also add that shese students are well dressed enough not to be trailer trash either.

Eww. Just looked up and the dude sitting across from the ticket-getting geek and his girlfriend just stuck his finger into the girl's bowl of soup to taste it. Again, no one flinched except me.

To quote the maitre'd in Ferris Bueller's Day Off : I weep for the future.

3 Comments:

  • At 8:58 AM, July 26, 2006, Blogger Army of Mom said…

    Well Alli, I certainly imagine you have better manners than these three did. I will laugh out loud at restaurants when I'm with my friends and if you're sitting right behind us, you might hear us talking. But, this trio had some REALLY bad manners ... I don't see you cursing and talking so loudly people can hear you 10 feet away! If they do, I think you need to turn down the volume!!!!

     
  • At 10:10 AM, July 26, 2006, Blogger MrsDoF said…

    My first job after being a stay-at-home mom for many years, I was a waitress at a little hole-in-the-wall diner close to the ISU campus.
    One afternoon, a bunch of guys in fraternity shirts came in and got noisy. One went so far as to snap his fingers and holler "Girl" across the whole room.

    I finished what I was doing, calmly walked over to their table and told him
    "Sir, I had graduated high school by the time the Tooth Fairy paid your first quarter. I am NOT a Girl. From now on you may call me MISSUS DoF!"

    His friends smirked, but the dude had the grace to look embarassed.
    They calmed down, got the food they wanted, came in often, and were Always Polite ever after.

    The owner of the diner didn't say a word. I guess I handled the situation just fine.

    These days, when I want to confront somebody, I'm always worried about what might be in his pockets.

     
  • At 9:29 AM, July 28, 2006, Blogger Unknown said…

    I hope my babies don't grow up into rude, dinning fools. I try to tame them and it's just a matter of consistency and practice.

    They whine about why do we have to sit down, why do we have to talk low, why do I have to keep it down...

     

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