Certainly a cheery title.
For those of you who don’t know, Miss Manners is the pen name of journalist, Judith Martin, an author and authority on etiquette.
She would have been astonished this morning in the check-out line at Morton Williams, my neighborhood supermarket.
We all know manners have gone south in our present day, but today took the cake, or bran muffin in this little lady’s case.
She was ahead of me in the process of paying for it. A chubby preteen, with a Prada wallet no less I hoped belonged to her mother. At her age, I had a Micky Mouse change purse with a polka dotted Minnie gracing the inside.
I say good morning to Stella, the cashier I see every day who looks agitated I guess because the kid is taking so long counting out her change.
She tries to help by counting it as it’s rolling off the counter, but the kid snaps, “I’ll do it,” clearly embarrassing Stella.
I say, “You okay there?” In case the reason for the snottiness is because she’s short, more than happy to chip in. However, if looks could kill, I’d be in frozen foods.
After she rudely throws a million coins like it’s Vegas, Pollyanna in residence says, “Stella, do you have a napkin for this young lady?”
Before she can even answer, the kid whirls around and says, “I don’t need a napkin. Shut-up and leave me alone.”
The entire store stops what it’s doing. The bread man making a delivery. The woman fixing herself tea. The fruit man stocking pears drops one that rolls in the aisle, I’m guessing in protest.
Even Pollyanna is too stunned to speak.
But then good old Susannah shows up.
“Hey, I’m your elder, so is Stella, and that’s not how you speak to us. Do you understand? We’re just trying to help you.”
“I’m telling my mother,” she said with a nasty sneer.
“Good, want me to call her? Because I’d love to tell her what a rude daughter she has.”
No, little Damea didn’t cry, but takes a bite out of her muffin leaving crumbs all over her fat, overfed face before schlumping out.
Stella shakes her head, I pay for my walnuts and beet salad, and commerce continues.
In 12 Step they remind you to mind your own business, but for me, that boundary breaks when it involves a kid or an animal.
All I know is, our youth, not to mention the world’s future, is it in mighty big trouble.
SB
So was this a case of a kid or an animal?
Save us from little snots that are only going to grow into bigger snots. When I’m teaching, unfortunately it’s the snot that is remembered from a room of twenty; which is probably what he/she wants.
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I never thought of that. It is attention grabbing alright.
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I’m torn between two interpretations. On the one hand, I’m with you one hundred percent. I so mourn the demise of good manners and dread what the future holds. And then I’m presented with young folk going the extra mile or bending over backwards to make a positive impact on their world. I guess there’s a pepper and salt mix in there, same as there ever was.
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Like the Parkland students marching for gun control. I live in a very entitled part of town so I see more lack of decorum than most butit has its effect. Adults are rude role models so what do we expect.
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I am so glad you spoke up. Children need to be corrected when their behavior is inappropriate and if the parent is unavailable or unwilling to do it then another adult should do it. Apparently this one needs more direction and hopefully she is an exception. It is scary to think that this is our future.
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Parenthood should come with a government manual. Well, okay, maybe not our present one If there was such a thing the title would read…Every Kid For Himself.
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I’m glad you reprimanded the awful snot. There are too many grownups modeling her behavior. I’m happy to say I usually see well-behaved youth, and that is encouraging.
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Yes, that certainly is. Manners mean the world in my humble opinion. Of course that’s my Connecticut talking.
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Good manners were reinforced by a Southern upbringing for me.
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I just saw you in Gone With the Wind at the 12 Oaks Ball while the Tarelton Twins asked you to take barbecue with them. Unlike Miss Scarlett you said…just hand me a drumstick…:)
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You crack me up. Let’s have a drum roll with that drumstick.
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It’s after midnight and I’m here admitting I’m just no match for your wordplay. You’re the Champ.
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No! Please no! We are just playing together, Word Friend!
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You deserve praise. I wish I had drum references. I’m gonna work on them. 🙂
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That little ill-mannered, ill-brought-up girl needs a good setting straight. It’s a good thing she doesn’t represent ALL of today’s youth. But a sadly large population.
I like to think her mother would be appalled by her daughter’s actions (that optimistic part of me)
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I’ll bet if she knew I admonished her, she’d come out swinging. It’s the nature of the elite beast I’m afraid. Of course, I’d take her on like we were at the Garden, but,
well…hopefully I won’t run into the little heathen again, though ya never know.
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There is that.
Little heathen is the perfect term!
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I always wanted an excuse to call somebody that. Such a great word. 🙂
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It’s a favourite of mine!
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Mine too.
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Why am I not surprised?
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Woids. I just love’em.
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Me too!
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SB,
Good for you, she deserved to be given a talking to. I’ve a feeling she doesn’t get many (any) of those. As a parent, I didn’t care what my kids grew up to do and believe in. Political affiliations, jobs, preference in mates . . none of my business. I just wanted them to be respectful and good peep who made the world a little better with their presence.
Shame on this little snot’s parents for letting her believe the world revolves around her.
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That’s what happens when you give a kid a 400 dollar wallet to keep her allowance in. sigh
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Ugh! I have never owned a 400 dollar wallet, and I never will.
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It’s rather bewildering isn’t it?
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Bewildering is a good word. And yes, yes it IS bewildering. I would say unfathomable (I just did, but only because it’s a good word as well) but these kids grow on trees, it seems.
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Shove it in your word file which must be bulging.
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I need another file. A cloud! I need a cloud . . a bunch of ’em.
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I like that image, that way they could float and you’ll have more room.:)
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I’m all about creating the proper imagery.
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I know you are. You’re the architect, the Frank Lloyd Wright, of words. 🙂
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Careful there chica . . I’m still digesting Runyon. 🙂
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Oh, what’s one more dessert. Life’s short after all.
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Deal.
I’m too easy.
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A shame she had to beam her black light all over the store and make everyone’s day. Good on you for speaking up. No one’s doing her any favors letting her get away with behavior like that. It’ll bite her on the ass big time some day. Fortunately, she is a minority, if my experience is valid.
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It’s her environment I’m guessing. It’s common here to produce spoiled offspring. They end up without character…the me me me movement, if you will. sigh
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It’s her environment I’m guessing. It’s common here to produce spoiled offspring. They end up without character…the me me me movement, if you will. sigh
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I’ve got the feeling the girl learned the behavior at home … oh boy …. reasons to be thankful for the youngsters that will be good with others.
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Agreed Frank. What parents need to realize is, it’s only to their benefit they are taught respect. It will make them better adults. Thanks
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I have met many of those “children” in life; especially, teaching where I taught. And, you are right, surprise often takes the cake. I had a small kid, about 2/3 my size, walk by me once. I smiled and said, “Good Morning”. His response was none too kind. I said something like, “You should not talk that way.” He backed with “What? You wanna fight? You some kind of great fighter?” There are times when my mind runs off on its own. I calmly said, “No, in fact, I am so bad a fighter that my good friend taught me how to pull off someone’s ear if I ever got into a fight. So, you will, most likely, beat me up badly, but I will pull off your ear because it’s the only thing I know.” He looked at me and said, “You are f… weird,” and walked off. My thought, only in my mind was, “but, I didn’t have to fight you, did I?”
Quick and solid thinking Susannah – we are older and smarter…
Scott
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Maybe he was a midget. You know how sensitive little people can be. A joke
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I don’t think so. The school I taught in had students with a “not-so-good” attitude toward teachers and grown-ups, but I can see where your comment came from. He had some reason, I am sure.
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