Common Courtesy

Mind your P's and Q's, help a struggling person with their [insert plural noun here], hold the door open for the person behind you (when the situation allows it), etc. There are so many rules that we have heard over the years about common courtesy. Perhaps, I use the word "common" too loosely and herein arrive at my point(s).  Courtesy is not common at all. More often than not, people are left to fend for themselves and have gotten so used to it that offered help or courtesy seems …suspicious.

Case 1: An old lady walking into my apartment building, was carrying what were very clearly, heavy bags in both arms. I offered her help. She quickly declined it. Then, considering she was ahead of me, she reached the door first. I side stepped her so I could unlock the door and hold it open. She slowly picked up her bags (which she had put down in a move to open the door herself… 0_o) and walked into the building. Not that I care that she appreciated it or not, but rather that really was the most awkward return home I have ever had, and considering I'm the kind to squirm at awkwardness on TV... well you can imagine. I'm not about to do that again soon.

Case 2: I have been at my new job for almost 2 months now and it's going well, thank you for asking. The people are friendly and very helpful and work is going smoothly (save the part that I actually need to ask for work to do to make my chargeable hours… anyways!) There is this one guy who I've worked with a couple times… He is the nicest person I have ever met.  Ever so often, I'd hear that phase and I'd think "yeah, so 'ever' means perhaps the last 2 hours, right?" But now, I see how that phase can be true. This guy has his own work load but would spend time drafting comprehensive instructions on how to do my work and walk through it with me. He'd pause what he's doing to answer my (numerous) questions AND help me find more work to do when I'm done. Even when 'stressed' he's still pretty cheerful all the time. He recently achieved a goal of his, so our manager took us to lunch and bought him a cake. This guy offered to pay and insisted on sharing the cake (like, he wouldn't take "no"). This time around, I was the suspicious one. I had to ask my manager later if he really was like that aaaaallllllll the time. The answer: Yes (at work anyway). Let's just say, I can work with this. :)

Now, both examples are related to human/physical interaction. In this generation though, it's all about the "e-nteraction."  But even there, there's got to be courtesy, right? Apparently not.

Included in my definition of online courtesy is responding to questions asked. Fortunately or unfortunately, there is evidence of the question asked (so no, "I didn't hear you" excuses) and if you talk about blackberries, there is even confirmation for the delivery and receipt of said communication. So, question sent, question read, answer…? ain't even pending. Hoh.

And I know I'm not the only one irked by this, as there is some courtesy left in some places...