Civility II

Here’s today’s civility rule: Acknowledge others. This can’t be why I felt constrained to read the book. I seem to have always had a native desire to greet other people. I sometimes catch myself saying “Hi” to people at work several times during the day just because I feel it’s rude to pass someone in the hall without greeting them. It’s probably not necessary or it might be annoying to some people to keep having to greet me back, but I don’t want to risk being rude.
I have a game I like to play at places where I have to come back repeatedly to do business. I like to try and get people to smile. A good example is the ladies (mostly it seems) who fill my plastic cups full of Diet Coke. Piloting a drive-up window is by all appearances a soul-crushing job. Most days the poor gals must pray to get ignored (only). But I like to make them smile. Sometimes I have to drink lots of pop before I get a smile in return, but I’ve never yet met one that I’ve targeted that I haven’t eventually gotten to brighten up when I pull up. It’s fun. I don’t know why this pleases me—meaning I don’t think I decided to develop this habit, I just seem to have been born with it—but I’m glad I do. It makes me feel good. I know it makes them feel good. And it doesn’t cost anything to smile and chatter someone’s blues away.
So I get to brag after reading the second chapter of my new book. Good thing. I’ve peeked ahead and know that coming up, I’m going to have to admit to some atrocious behaviors as well. At least I keep them grinning while I’m being uncivil.