R-E-S-P-E-C-T or Lack Thereof

An interesting thing happened on the way to the forum today. Okay, it wasn't actually the forum it was Dunkin Donuts. As I drove into the lot with my little red truck I parked in the handicap spot. when I realized this, I backed out and moved to a regular spot. There was another person in the lot who looked at me like I was crazy.  Now certainly I have received those looks before so I am used to them but it bothered me this person seemed so surprised I would do the right thing.

Made me feel kind of old actually. See I grew up in a time when kids were taught manners and respect. I still open doors for people and say "Thank-you" when they do the same for me. I still call people who were my parents friends Mr. and Mrs., same with any of my teachers who I might happen to meet. Of course some of them are still teaching which is kind of a scary thought, but then I won't get into the whole tenure thing. I have even been known to pick up trash I see on the sidewalk and I never litter on purpose. I can't say occasionally something hasn't flown out of my truck window but it isn't intentional.

It just makes me wonder what has happened. Listen to the way kids talk today. Yes, I admit I used to swear when I was a kid, but never in front of any adults and never, ever in front of my parents. No bar of soap in the mouth for me, no sir (although Ivory did have a nice flavor to it once you got used to it). Now it's nothing to hear profanity come from a young ones mouth, and they don't think twice about it. Why? Because the parents or in most cases, the parent, do it all the time in font of the kids.

I remember one time when I was doing the AAA thing in Ware and i was blocking in a car. Now I am a reasonable man and respectful of others and if I block in someone (unless I am loading or unloading and I can't) I will move my truck if I am asked to. This day as I was removing this tire from an elderly couples vehicle, behind me came this terrific roar. "What the bleep do you think you're bleeping doing? I got places to bleeping go and I can't bleeping wait for you to bleeping move." I turned around to find this woman with two kids, maybe 9 and 12 walking towards me, spewing venom. Did she ask me to move? Nope, just kept on cussing and hollering. My customer tried to explain to her he had a flat tire and I would move, but all she said was "Just because you're having a bad bleeping day doesn't mean you have to bleep mine up to. I'm going to the bleeping Police station (right next door) to get a bleeping cop. I'll bleeping take care of this." And off she stormed, her two little angels in tow.

By this time I had the tire off and since the spare was flat, I told the people I would be right back and I drove to a nearby service station to get some air. When I got back, I saw the cop leaving shaking his head. I laughed. So what's my point? Kids learn what they live. We wonder why they grow up to be disrespectful, just look at this example. I am sure these kids turned out no different than their lovely mother, who knows they could be in jail.