Sometimes even ordering a coffee is fraught with potential misunderstanding.
DEAR MISS MANNERS: I was brought up to always be polite to others, but as I reach 50, it seems that society cares less about this.
Common decency is misinterpreted as “hitting on” someone, when all I’m doing is trying to be nice. Sometimes I feel like just being abrupt, as my politeness gets rejected so frequently. I believe other men experience this, too. GENTLE READER: Before Miss Manners admonishes the rest of the impolite world and rushes to your aid, she wants to check on a few key things:
Does your “trying to be nice” include calling servers “honey” or “sweetie”? Looking anywhere other than their eyes when ordering? Making comments on their physical appearance in any way?The world can indeed be rude, but you must soldier on being polite anyway. That is the only way to make it better.
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