By Merlin Lessler —<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve had dealings with some pleasant and interesting people over the last few months. A profitable exchange with Coin Dealer Scott, a better than imagined outcome with Tree Trimmer Mike, and an always competent outcome with Insurance Agent Woody. Some of my Florida interactions took place with Real-estate Michael, Car Dealer Iancu, and Builder Mike.<\/p>\n
I guess you can see the pattern here. Every person\u2019s name was preceded by their profession. A little weird, isn\u2019t it? At first glance, anyhow. But not if you put it into the context of how we address select, so-called professionals. It\u2019s not Chuck Schumer; it\u2019s Senator Schumer or Congressman Smith and Congresswoman White.<\/p>\n
College teacher Cawley is Professor Cawley or Doctor Cawley. Most of us save the use of \u201cDoctor,\u201d for medical doctors, but some PHD graduates refer to themselves as doctors too, even some with just an honorary degree. I\u2019ve made up the names to protect the innocent, like Doctor Brown who says, \u201cPlease just call me Bill.\u201d<\/p>\n
Since we don\u2019t live in a monarchy where people are forced to address royals like King Charles or Prince William and a whole litany of other regal designations, this is good old America where we are all equals. We are free to call everyone by name, not title.<\/p>\n
But maybe the title first and then the name is the way to go. I\u2019d like it if it applied across the board. I\u2019d have no trouble calling the mechanical genius who fixes my car Auto-Mechanic Joe. Or the craftsman who handles all the household repairs on my residence Carpenter and Handy Man Lee.<\/p>\n
My preference for using vocational titles for everyone would not sit well with the crowd that gets that special treatment. Politicians and college professors would be insulted by our lack of respect; some of them, anyhow.<\/p>\n
They wouldn\u2019t want to be in the Joe Blow category where the rest of us reside. They\u2019d claim, \u201cI worked hard and long to get here\u201d (in the privileged class). Not any harder than a Master Plumber or cabinet maker or the McDonald\u2019s CEO, who started out flipping burgers and earned his way to the top.<\/p>\n
As for myself, I\u2019ll stick with my \u201cJoe Blow\u201d status and happily be referred to as Old Coot, or like many of my friends do, just plain Coot.<\/p>\n