Vanessa Gross
Seriously?

Courtesy and friendliness are two things the world needs more of. My everyday interaction and observation with others has been dissatisfying of late. Some people are so wrapped up in their own lives that taking the time to be polite to a stranger might break some universal rule they cannot share with the rest of us.
The other day I was shopping at one of our local clothing boutiques, and as I was standing in the checkout line, I started glancing around. I gave myself a little distance between me and the person in front of me to not make her feel rushed. I looked down at my finds in my shopping cart when this lovely woman cut in front of me.
Now I did not know this woman, nor did I want to know her after that. But this super cool chick decided that since I wasn’t riding the back of the customer in front of me and I was looking away it was ‘OK’ to cut in line in front of me and then not even look back. If only my super power red inferno eye laser beams were working that day.
It took me a couple of seconds to really believe that such a fantastic, super creature would really have the nerve to jump in line in front of me. But hey, it seems that ignorance, accompanied with rudeness, happens more that I would like to believe-and not only with complete strangers.
A friend of mine was telling me how he really liked this girl and had for a long time. He introduced this girl to one of his buddies and the next thing he knew, his ‘friend’ was putting the moves on her. He was furious that the ‘code’ had been broken. The unspoken rule that whether you’re male or female, you don’t move in on the person your friend is in love with. Sure there are some complicated issues involved, but it still comes down common courtesy. The friend in question didn’t even talk to my friend about it, just went behind his back. Even if you’re not best friends with someone, your still friends and that to me constitutes respect and certain honesty with each other, if not then why even call yourself a friend.
My husband and I went out for aProxy-Connection: keep-alive
Cache-Control: max-age=0

ushi the other night and as we were waiting for our drinks we noticed a woman and her two kids sit down near us. All three of them were interacting on their phones to other people, not each other. Not even when their food was served. I love my cell phone and it would be a very dark day if I couldn’t text when I wanted to, but a family out for dinner?
Then there was the time my husband and I went out for lunch at Old C’s, and next to us was another couple. Same thing, they sat across from each other and texted the whole meal. Who knows, maybe they were texting each other, and to each his own. I suppose it’s not considered impolite if the person you’re with is doing the same thing. Hmmmm…
If walking past an acquaintance, someone you may see everyday in class or in the same building where you work, do you smile and say “Hi” as you walk by? Or do you just ignore them or stare at them like you never saw them before? Is it really going to break your face to just smile and say something nice? Or maybe it’ll take many more months of the same for either of you to just make a polite nod and who knows, make that other person smile back at you.

vgross@mesastate.edu