Are you for real serious?

When you are in line at the grocery store, or out to eat, or taking your kids to school do you ever just look around at other people and think to yourself... ARE YOU SERIOUS?  No, I don't mean what they are wearing or what they look like, just their behavior in public.  I know they make these shows "what would you do?" for outrageous behavior, but what about the small things people do that make you cringe.  The people that have NO manners what so ever.  The people that make you think.  Are you for real serious right now.

I know that I am a little more judgemental on these things than the average person, but I have worked in customer service my whole life and I really do appreciate a nice please or thank you.  I don't mean from time to time.  I mean every single time I check you out, or bring you food.  Or when I hold the door open for you, or pick up your baby's shoe that was lost in aisle nine.  You really have to look at these things to notice that people just do not do this.  Dan and I am drilled, drilled, drilled please and thank you into our girls head from day one.  My four year old says thank you more than most adults that I know.  I mean for god sakes Barney even says please and thank you.  How hard is is to do this? 

I was at the store a couple of weeks ago.  One of those times I was able to go alone!  I was checking out and there was this couple in front of me with a shit load of groceries.  Took the lady a while to check them out, no big deal for me, been there done that.  When it was time to pay they paid with food stamps.  Once again no big deal.  The cashier then says "OK, the remaining balance is $2.15"  They were perplexed as to why they would have to pay money for $400.00 dollars worth of groceries.  Turns out that their Bob Marley Iced Tea was not covered by tax dollars.  I mean,  wasn't my choice as to whats covered and whats not.  I just pay the bill.  So of course the manager is called, and this whole process is really stressing the cashier out. The people just stood there as if it was expected from them to take it off the bill, not even one time offering to pay the money,  In the end the manager just made the tea free, and the people packed up their shit and walked away.  Nothing more said.  I knew that there would be no offer to pay for said tea... but walking away without saying THANK YOU!  ARE YOU FREAKING SERIOUS!!  I know that the employees were just as stunned as I was but then went right back to work.  Because these days that behavior is normal.  I wanted to walk right behind them and smack them.  Would it really be that hard to say thank you?

I was in line at a gas station last weekend, I was behind a few people, with a few people behind me.  I would say that it was slightly busy.  The second cashier comes up and opens up the second register.  And I know that we all know the unwritten rules of this situation... you look behind you and make eye contact with the person behind you.  From there you decide who's need is greater to be next in line.  IE... pregnant ladies, elderly people, people with little ones.  I was not going to move the next register because I was not in a hurry and only had a few things.  The person that was behind me just took that spot at the second register without even thinking twice.  Didn't look to see if anyone needed to get going more than others.  Didn't even make the fake I really care, but don't eye contact.  Just went right up there.  To most people this isn't bothersome, but for me.. the POLITE POLICE it was almost to much to handle.  EVERYONE KNOWS YOU DO THE EYE CONTACT SONG AND DANCE WITH THE NEXT PERSON IN LINE!  If you didn't know... now you know.  Do it.  Its the right thing to do.  If you don't, you look like a fuck face!  I was just thinking ARE YOU FOR REAL SERIOUS?


GET OFF YOUR FUCKING CELL PHONE!  Get off your cell phone when you are checking out at the store, ordering dinner, picking up your kids from school, parking your car, walking through the grocery store, well just about anything you are doing.  GET OFF YOUR FUCKING PHONE.  There are a couple of reasons for this rule of mine. 

The first being... I do not want to hear about anything you are talking about.  I do not know you, do want want to know you, and at this point you are holding everything and everyone up.  I know that I am guilty of talking on the phone in the store but have stopped this behavior because it took me three hours to grab a couple of things.  I could not concentrate on what I was doing and found that I was walking around the store five times for one gallon of milk.  I can only imagine how annoying this was for everyone around me, and I don't even have ANYTHING remotely dramatic to talk about.  People have no shame in what they are discussing.  This simply makes me and everyone around you uncomfortable.
Reason number two.. I have had transactions with hundreds of people that go something like this.
Me- "Hi, did you find everything OK?"
Customer-(blah blah blah to friend on the phone)
Me-"The total is $5.06"
Customer- (blah blah blah to friend on phone)
Me-"Here is your change:
Customer-"blah blah blah to friend on phone)
Me- yelling "HAVE A GREAT DAY, THANKS FOR COMING IN.  HOPE TO SEE YOU SOON"

I have checked people out and they have not said one single word.  Do you know how rude that is.  Makes me feel like I am a slave or something.  All you have to do is tell your friend to hang on, or simply call them back after 3 min.   PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!  GET OFF YOUR FUCKING PHONE!

I am by no means the queen of good behavior, being polite, or even saying the right things half of the time, but I do know what it feels like to be a retail worker, or server making min wage trying to do the best you can and have people treat you like absolute garbage.  Just because I don't work in a office, or I'm not a doctor doesn't mean you can be rude as hell to me.  And just because you are an adult doesn't mean that you don't have to use your manners.  I would encourage everyone to say one more thank you a day.  Or just one time put your phone down.  Be aware of your surroundings.  Be nice to people.  Be respectful.  Please!  So next time I do not have to look at you and think...ARE YOU For Real Serious?

And just in case you are unclear....
http://users.elite.net/runner/jennifers/thankyou.htm