I have a door problem. A double door problem, to be specific. The entrances where you go through a door into a vestibule, and then through a second door. The physical doors aren\u2019t the problem; it\u2019s the question of manners. You approach the first door and a guy in front of you holds it open. A good thing! But, it kicks off an awkward social situation. Should you say, \u201cThank you,\u201d and follow him to the second door where the scenario is repeated and say, \u201cThank you,\u201d again? Or, should you make light of it at the second door and say, \u201cDitto,\u201d or should you let your first thank you carry through the second door?<\/p>\n
If you save your thank you until you\u2019re through the second door it causes a problem when someone coming out holds it open and you thank him or her. The guy in front of you takes it personal. (\u201cYou thanked the guy coming out, but not me. Grrr!\u201d) The safe route is to thank everybody in sight, even the guy who shoves past and crowds ahead of you in line. To him, I say, \u201cThank you,\u201d out loud, but to myself I say, \u201cJerk!\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s gotten to the point where I\u2019m obsessed with the whole scenario. Not quite so bad that I loiter outside until it\u2019s clear sailing through both doors, but almost. And, I often hang around inside, especially in coffee shops, to see what other people do. About fifty percent say, \u201cThank you,\u201d at the first door, and again at the second door. Thirty percent say it on the first door and make a slight physical gesture on the second, a nod, a wink or a thumbs up. The rest, I\u2019m sorry to report, don\u2019t say a thing. Let\u2019s be frank here, they are just plain rude. As are the people who don\u2019t give you a \u201cthank-you\u201d wave after you let them in front of you in their car. When they are rude at double doors, I say, \u201cYou\u2019re welcome.\u201d Sometimes it gets me, \u201cOh, I\u2019m sorry. Thank you.\u201d When they are rude in a car, I never do anything. There are just too many road-rage people out there; you can get shot.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m not sure what the solution is for the double door, manners problem. Super markets and big box stores have solved it for their customers by installing mechanical door openers. Good manners aren\u2019t required. Other businesses have stuck with a single door, in spite of the cold draft that sweeps in when it\u2019s opened on a bitter cold day. The rest have installed a double set of doors, creating a \u201cmanners\u201d challenge for society. Maybe we need the first lady to start a campaign, like Nancy Reagan\u2019s \u201cJust Say No,\u201d program. This time we need a, \u201cJust Say Thank You,\u201d program.<\/p>\n
Complaints? Comments? E-mail to mlessler7@gmail.com.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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