There’s Nothing “Common” About Courtesy

When entitlement trickles down.

Since becoming unemployed, I spend a great deal of time at home. Not idle time, as much of my energy is directed toward writing.

And when I’m not writing, I’m doing chores or working out — all the while thinking that perhaps, I should go out. Mix. Mingle. Reacquaint myself with the human race because writing, as you know, isolates us.

We spend countless hours alone, staring at our monitors, waiting for that next great thought, the one that will launch us like a heat-seeking missile straight to Viral Land.

I know I do. And, when I finally get up, stretch and venture out into the world, I realize why I spend so much time at home.

Because people are assholes, that’s why.

Not all people, naturally. I’m not a misogynist. Not yet, anyway. But I am concerned and fed up with idiots.

As writers, it is essential that we are vigilant in our observations of the world around us, and the people who inhabit it.

Here’s what I observe: A lack of “common courtesy.” Sounds so quaint, doesn’t it? That’s because courtesy amongst our fellow man has gone the way of democracy. It’s had its ass kicked out the door by an evil, vile psychopath of a president who believes that wealth entitles one to be an asshole. To occupy positions they don’t deserve. Bask in rewards they haven’t earned. And to shit on the rest of us schlubs who still believe in the “golden rule.”

Wow. Now that does sound quaint.

I don’t know what gets you going, but it’s the little things I see or experience when I finally do leave the house that make me want to turn around and hightail it back here.

Stupidly, I hold doors for people. Why is that stupid? Because I can count on one hand the number of people who say “thank you,” or even acknowledge my presence. Oddly, mothers with baby buggies are especially guilty of this.

It’s as if they’re entitled to such behavior because they gave birth. “Here comes the madonna and child. Let me bow from the ankles.” Well, screw that.

Too, it takes these women a while to get through the door because they’re usually lugging their fair share of baby accouterments. So they have ample time to acknowledge a kindness.

Sometimes I’ll bark out a “you’re welcome.” Other times, I think, “fuck it. Why bother?” People like this are too stupid to get it, anyway.

Drivers who use the right lane to cut me off are entitled assholes too. Their time is infinitely more precious than mine. So precious that they’d rather risk an accident than wait five seconds.

I see this all the time yet the cops are never around. Yet, if you happen to meander through a stop sign on a sleepy side street, suddenly…there they are!

Last week I was at the grocery store and witnessed a mentally-challenged bagger get an ass reaming from a total witch of a woman who didn’t like the way he was arranging her shit in her eco-friendly tote.

I could hardly believe what I was seeing and hearing. Now, I shop at this market quite a bit and the bagger is the sweetest most upbeat guy you’d ever want to meet. He loves to make jokes and greets every customer with a smile. How common is this, these days?

Yet the woman was tearing him a new one at top volume. It’s lucky she left when she did because I was ready to jump into the fray.

I will not stand by and watch someone get shit on. That’s why this country is in the state it’s in. Apathy. The general notion that “it’s someone else’s problem.”

No. It’s not. The orange bastard in the White House and the fallout from his administration is our problem and we’d better get to fixing it because the Republicans are entitled pussies who only want to keep their jobs and the Democrats are beaten down.

Another thing that drives me up a wall is when people drop trash on our lawn. A fast-food bag. Empty cigarette pack. Crap like that.

Our house is on a huge, corner lot and when we first moved in, someone tossed a crap-filled diaper onto the street-side of the lawn. Now that’s class! My husband and I determined that it had to come flying out of a car window.

I won’t even throw a gum wrapper out of my car window!

“Please.” “Thank you.” “You’re welcome.” It doesn’t take much wind to utter those words but, many of us seem to have forgotten them. Or we just don’t give a damn. I’m not sure which is worse.

Speaking of “wind,” the emittance of same in a public setting, either orally or from the back end, is always bad form. ALWAYS. My sense of smell is finely honed and if you have to belch or boof, go outside. It’s that simple. It amazes me how many people revel in their own stink.

Trump looks like a “secret” public farter, doesn’t he? You have to feel sorry for his Secret Service detail. Wherever he goes, a noxious cloud follows.

So, on to you. What common courtesies do you miss? What gets your back up? Either leave a comment or go Rogue and write a story. And thanks for reading.

Sherry McGuinn is a slightly-twisted, longtime Chicago-area writer and award-winning screenwriter. Her work has appeared in The Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, and numerous other publications. Sherry’s manager is currently pitching her newest screenplay, a drama with dark, comedic overtones and inspired by a true story.

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