Category Archives: Etiquette

Oct7

A Lesson in the Economics of Kindness

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This happened a few weeks back but with all the sickness and my never ending bronchitis, I have not gotten around to blogging much. Sleeping and holding my babies has been on the top of my list.

I think it is important to share because it just goes to show what a little bit of patience and kindness (for no reason other than I think other people deserve it) can get you.

On the way home from a Girl Scout leader meeting one night, I decided that I would just stop at Taco Bell instead of go home and cook since I was sick (this was at the beginning of this devilish cold turned everything else ucky).

I pulled into line and within 5 minutes I could tell it would be awhile. The place was packed and the drive thru line hadn’t moved at all.

I looked to the bright side, it was 8pm and I was no longer at a meeting that bored me tears. On top of that I was alone and it was blissfully quiet.

I had the realization I could turn on my radio to my favorite station, roll down the windows since the weather was good and not worry about rushing home to kids and chaos since I was trapped in a drive thru line. YAY!

The entire time the car in front of me interrupted my bliss…he honked and cussed and carried on, as if that was changing anything.

I got up to the speaker after about 20 minutes of waiting. I pleasantly ordered my food and said ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. Just like my Mamaw taught me. The poor guy apologized for the wait and joked about how busy they were. I chuckled and told him not to worry about it.

When the guy in front of me got to the window, he flipped the guy off and drove off cussing. He didn’t even get his food! I guess he thought he was showing them! He shorted them a whole $10 I am sure, and you know that will hurt Taco Bell’s bottom line. :)

Anyway, I drove up and smiled. The poor drive thru guy looked flustered and apologized profusely. I told him it wasn’t a big deal, still said ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. Mind you I had at this point been in line for 25 minutes, not being able to enjoy it because of the douchebag in front of me.

What’s the point of the story? The nice drive thru boy appreciated my kindness so much that he comp’d my ordered drinks and gave me to two free tacos and a free cinnamon twist. The amount of free stuff I got was worth more than I paid for my order!

I didn’t ask for it, I wasn’t angry. I received extras because I was kind during someone’s time of stress.

So, next time things aren’t going your way at drive thru, restaurant or retail store, please remember that the person you are being mean to very likely isn’t the reason for the hold up.

Smile, be kind and treat them as a person. You will get good karma, for sure, and maybe a little something extra for your kindness. :)

 

Aug11

Screw You Uppity Ms. Who-dee Who!

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As an adult female I have often been surprised by the dictatorship of local women’s clubs and volunteer organizations. The women leaders are often self-absorbed, snooty and bigger bullies than the ones from playgrounds past. They probably are the ones from playgrounds past honestly.

While reading ‘The Help’ by Kathryn Stockett (I’m only about half way through so don’t worry this isn’t a review), I chuckled through some of the situations where Skeeter is made to feel like she will get ‘kicked’ out of the social circle for her opinions. It was funny because I have often felt the same way.

It is in all actuality awful that I have encountered this where I have. Very often the taglines of places that have been the worst are the ones claiming they are for the advancement of women and girls or a safe place for women to share stories and shoulders to cry on.

There are always cliques in these groups. The mean girls, er,  desperate housewives, I mean women leaders who run the show, making up rules as though go along. They change things without notice and scold you for not just having E.S.P. so you would know. They sweetly threaten kicking you out through clenched teeth and a fake smile. Most of them have been around forever and know how to manipulate those above and below them to get what they want. Everyone talks about what good people they are, helping out, volunteering and make the community a better place. More often they are controlling, rude and selfish people underneath.

I wonder if organizations and clubs realize that often these people drive away some of the better members and volunteers. Several have driven me very close to the edge of quitting, walking away, no matter how much good I did as a whole through the organization.

Why are women catty like that? Why can we not just get along? What is it about someone new to the group that shakes our security?

Aug25

My first (of many) Tangents

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People get weirded out over the oddest things…

Who cares if I like peanut butter with mayo sandwiches or potato chips in my ham sandwich or dipping my french fries in my soft serve ice cream?  

Why it is weird?  

Why does it elicit disgust and noises in the back of your throat? 

Or an explanation of why you think it’s disgusting?  

 I just don’t understand….

I would never stick out my tongue or fake gag at your meal choices, so why can’t people just say, ‘Interesting,’ or ‘I never thought of putting those together.’  

I think our society has forgotten a lot of manners.