Manners

I live in the Bay Area in Northern California and have my entire life. My commute time is double what it would be if there wasn’t any traffic. I don’t go far so it is not too bad. However, the people are so nasty here. Last night, while driving home, I took a different route for I had to go to the mall. En route there is a stop sign that usually backs up traffic. In the traffic area there is a driveway to a social services office. I stopped and let someone go at one driveway. That person waived and I waived back, as I usually do. At the next driveway, I let that person in. She did not waive nor acknowledge me. I ALWAYS waive when someone is kind enough to stop and let me in. I also usually mouth the word “Thank you”, smile and/or nod. That is just the way I am. Anyway, back to my story. I entered the department store and got in line to get a gift certificate. At the front of the line was a boy holding some clothes. His father was still shopping in the area. When it was the father’s turn, rather than take four steps to the next clothes rack and put a shirt he had in his hand back in it’s place, he just put it on the rack right next to him. I hate it when people do that. As I stood in line, my shoulder was bumped. I looked over and a lady and her daughter walked by. The lady bumped me. I wanted to say, “Hello. You are excused”. When I have to pass someone and I enter their ‘personal space’ or if I have to pass in front of someone who is looking at something. I ALWAYS say ‘excuse me’. I finished my business and exited the store. I saw a Toyota key on the ground. Someone is going to be in for a surprise when they try to get in their car. I picked it up and went into the store. I went back to the cashier who helped me, who was with another customer. I said, “Excuse me, I don’t mean to interrupt, but I found this on the ground outside.” She thanked me and I left. The closest exit from the parking lot onto the street I wanted was near a busy intersection. It is hard to get across the lane that goes straight and get into the left turning lane. There were a couple of cars sitting at the parking lot exit and I knew that the only way to get into the left turning lane was if people in that lane stopped and let us go. Hence, I took the extra ONE-MINUTE to go to the exit in which there was a stoplight. I got into the turning lane to turn left. It is a busy lane because it takes one to the freeway entrance and backs up pretty far. There were a couple of cars sitting at one of the exits from the parking lot, which I came (I think they were the ones I saw as I was making the decision to go to the exit with the stop light). I let BOTH cars in. I don’t know if they waived because I was looking around. A minivan in the right lane (which goes straight) was sitting with a turn signal on. There was a black Honda behind it without a turn signal. When the traffic moved up, nobody let it in (usually that lane has ‘cheaters’ in it. They try to bypass some of the backup by going into the lane that goes straight and jumping into the left turning lane). Therefore, I let this person in and proceeded to accelerate. All of a sudden the black Honda entered my lane. It scared me, I gasped and hit my brakes. Had I not hit my brakes, I would have hit him. Note: I drive an EXPEDITION, he a HONDA. You can say it is the holidays, but it is normally like this here. I was at Toys R Us the other day and a little boy was pushing a shopping cart in front of the store. His father and other siblings were about 20 feet away and still walking. The boy let go of the shopping cart and it rolled into the parking lot lane and stopped. Luckily, there were no cars going by. I gave the father a look as he turned around to see where his son was. He proceeded to scold his child. However, he kept walking and made no attempt to retrieve the cart out of the lane. I went out and got it so the cars wouldn’t have to drive around it. What is up with our society? Where are the manners? People are just so nasty. Everyone can’t be like this. I am not. Being someone who doesn’t travel much or even leave the Bay Area for that matter, I haven’t experienced other places with other people. However, I have a girlfriend who moved to Chico, California. A couple of years ago I drove out there to visit her. I was utterly amazed at the people’s behavior. They stopped at the stop signs and actually waited their turn!! People did not drive like jerks! The atmosphere was so comfortable. I knew then that there are other places where people are not so creepy! Where people have manners! Right then and there I resolved to move out of the Bay Area and move to a place like that (when I can afford it).

When my son gets older I am going to have to explain some things to him. You see. He is only 2 ½ and is VERY polite. He says ‘please’, ‘thank you’, ‘you’re welcome’ and ‘blesses' people (and his baby brother) when he hears a sneeze. He expects people to do the same for him. I am going to have to explain that although we have manners, most people do not (at least not here in the Bay Area). Then maybe it won’t disappoint or frustrate him as it does to me.