As my regular readers have probably picked up on by now, I have a lot to say about other people’s rude/obnoxious/incompetent/disgusting behavior and today is no exception, because today I tackle the topic of “common courtesy” and what the hell has happened to it. And I’m not talking about people who aren’t courteous on the subway, because I’ve pretty much given up on the the belief that people will ever be courteous and civil there (I think this finally sunk in after I was spit on).  I’m talking about the people who you actually expect to be courteous to you - like friends, family, co-workers or the cashiers at stores.

Just the other day I went into my neighborhood Duane Reade and asked the two teenage cashiers, who were doing absolutely nothing, if they could please spare an extra big plastic bag that I could use to store my new Kate Spade bag that I didn’t want to get ruined on the subway. In response, they both just stared at me. Did I stutter? Speak too quietly? Perhaps.  So I posed the question again. Silence. Awkward.  So, as I usually do in uncomfortable situations, I ramble on - “Ummm please? If you have any extras that would umm be really helpful. . . ” Then all of a sudden one of the two cashiers ducked down below the register and re-appeared with a bag that he silently handed to me. I thanked him and he said nothing in return. During that entire 3-minute interaction, neither one of the two cashiers said anything. Not a word! If I pulled that sh*t back in the day when I worked at Carvel or Target, I would have been verbally abused - by both the customer and my boss.

I would never leave someone hanging like that.  If someone asks me a question, I answer. And if I can’t answer right away, I will still respond to that person letting them know that I am looking into it and will get back to them soon.  So, what the hell is wrong with today’s young people? Have they no courtesy? No respect for others? Someone should let them know that if they’re not careful, one day, someone (probably me), will yell at them and/or smack them in the face.

I’ve experienced similar situations in the workplace as well. Back in the early 2000s, when I was just starting out in the wonderful working world, I was over-achiever, super-helpful employee extraordinaire. Stay late to finish up a project? Sure thing! Come in early to work on projects because the person who was supposed to work on it yesterday didn’t have time? You bet! Happy to pitch in! Since then my outlook has changed just a bit, but I still expect junior-level employees to be uber-helpful overachievers like I used to be. However, as I am learning, that is just not the case.

I actually fear asking some of my junior co-workers for help with a project. Isn’t that just ridiculous? Me, who has no problem voicing her opinion and being harsh with people when need be (or when I deem it’s appropriate), actually has problems standing up to people younger, and less experienced than me.  It’s because these young workers have a certain stand-offish attitude about them, as if they can’t believe you have the audacity to ask them for help with something. Well I have some wisdom to pass along to today’s youth, which dear old dad has said to me many a times in the past: Shit rolls down the hill. I had to do it, now you have to do it, and one day, someone more junior than you will have to do it too. It sucks, but I don’t care. It’s what you’re being paid to do. So do it, and do it with a smile instead of an eye roll. Thanks.