Now I know y'all were just holdin' your breath to see how "mzstephens" was gonna approach this one. Well, I'm not one to be 'tacky', but I'm gon' say what most people want to ... Whatever happened to ... Courtesy? Manners??? Did I miss somethin' or am I just crazy? Did that cashier just turn off his register light with 90 people standing here in the checkout line?! And no, "Ms. Thing didn't put up her "this Window closed - please step over" sign! I realize this is a new day and age, but we can't excuse bad manners. I'm sorry y'all, but it's just not cute. Isn't efficiency and courteousness more cost effective to a company, than worrying about precisely when people need to go on break, considering there may be a thousand people in the store? Unfortunately this epidemic of bad behavior isn't just limited to strangers, this scourge even manifests itself in our children, family members, and co-workers. How about going out of your way to remember someone in a special way, and they never bother to let you know if they received your gift??? To receive something from someone, no matter how small it may be, and not acknowledge or Thank them, is uncouth (low-budget), and the truth is, they didn't have to do a blasted thing for you, and I'm keepin' it real.

Most of us won't take the time to write out a "Thank You" card these days, and for the most part - you really don't have to, a verbal Thank you is enough, appreciated, and very easy, because even great Grandma Willie Mae (?) has a cellphone these days, ya' feel me? Now I'm not "on one" because of the recent "holidays" because the truth is, I was noticing rudeness far before December ever got here. I'm telling you that in customer service, you are exposed to a lot, and a lot of it can get ugly. Like the woman who barked at me about how she didn't have the time to be standing in front of me (?) because she had a "job of her own" to go to. Well, of course you know, had it been a different time and place, "mzstephens" woulda' told her about herself, but seeing as how "I like my address", and would prefer to keep my paycheck so I can continue to live there, I politely referred her down the hall, and guess what? She was still sent back to deal with me. Now here is where I got to take it to the "HOOD" on you - NEVER, under any circumstances, get STUPID with the clerk who has all your personal information in front of them on the COMPUTER ... cause, well - I'll let you finish my thought... I, ...I mean "the clerk", would probably never do anything in response to her rudeness, or any other member of the general public, but let's just hope my, oops - I mean, her buttons are never pushed to that degree (smile)...

In essence, I'm saying - use the sense you shoulda been taught, and if you weren't, I'm sure you've run into enough folks like me - who are more than happy to remind you that we are strangers and that your 'problem' is not mine and vice versa. I'm just now being made aware of your "crisis", which can't be too much of a "crisis" if you're still at home hitting "redial" on the phone, when you could have gotten your behind up and come into the office you are trying to reach. Don't take things out on the first human contact you make, be it on the phone or in person. Most of us are given ample notice of appointments, bills being due, disconnection notices, etc., so when you let things go down to the wire, it's not the next person's fault, and by all means, once you've accomplished your task, "Thank You, have a nice day" will suffice . If for just a second we all take time out to think, things could be worse - and for some, things are. Thank God you're not among that number. Peace out,y'all, and HOLLA at ya' girl! copyright pending 2007