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At the risk of sounding like an old biddy yelling at youngsters to get the hell off my lawn, I feel the need to voice my opinion.

I’ve noticed recently that manners have become a thing of the past. I’m not even talking about the more stringent manners… the I-expect-you-to-throw-your-really-expensive-coat-over-that-puddle-for-me kind of formality. I’m talking about the every day practice of common courtesy.

I see a range of behaviors every day that leave me absolutely stunned. For instance, while out driving with a couple of my friends, we looked to our left just in time to witness a woman walk in between the bumpers of two parked cars, drop her pants, and squat right there to do her business. Despite the horrified words tumbling out of my friend’s mouth, he was unable to break his gaze, stunned, trying to determine how great the offense was: Was she peeing or was she taking a mighty dump? Thankfully, the light turned green and we were able to move forward without every having to confirm a number one or a number two. The obvious question here being, “what the hell would possess someone to do that in the middle of the day in lunch time traffic?” I can see finding a nice little shrubbery while camping, but in the middle of the city? In the middle of the day?

This kind of behavior is contrasted by the less shocking, yet more egregious kind. Maybe it’s just that I expect something from people I shouldn’t, but why are people so damn flakey? It seems like ever since I moved to this God-forsaken state, the people I’ve met have had no social manners. When you make plans with someone, you follow through. And if for some reason you can’t follow through, you call that person to reschedule rather than leaving them to wonder what the hell happened.

Example: I called my friend and told her that I was coming over to return something of hers. I told her I’d be right over. At the time, I literally lived 3 minutes from her house. I grabbed the item, hopped in the car (not out of laziness, mind you, but because I had other errands to run) and drove over there. I knocked on the door and waited patiently for her or her husband to answer. I waited for a couple of minutes and finally ended up letting myself in, thinking that maybe she was changing the baby and couldn’t get to the door. My shouts of “hello?” were greeted by silence. I looked through the rooms, and no one was there. I checked the backyard, because the glass doors were open. No one. Not knowing what to do, I just left the item and vacated the house. When I talked with her later, she said she had gone down the street to talk to her neighbor. o_0

This kind of behavior seems so bizarre to me. Even recently, I had a friend cancel without notice. I drove through rush hour traffic (in a stick shift, which I guarantee you is not fun after an hour and a half), only to discover that the plans were off. No apology. No rescheduling. No explanation. Just a very quick message saying it wasn’t happening.

Am I crazy? Is this somehow becoming okay in our society? Or am I just a social leper who no one really wants to hang out with?

I’m tired of stepping over homeless people. I’m tired of dealing with assholes at work. I’m tired of life being pointless and bleak. Why should I have to deal with “friends” who obviously don’t even have the decency to follow rules of common courtesy? Are our parents and grandparents right? Are we really the “you damn kids” we’ve always heard about? Should I start investing in porch furniture and canes?

Or could it possibly be that there is truly something wrong with the way we treat each other….

(As a positive side note, I have noticed that the men I work with will still open doors and allow me to enter or exit an area first. So, not all is lost. Way to go conservative guys!)

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