Wednesday, September 07, 2005
Public Humiliation Sure Does Wonders For A Gal's Self-Esteem
Well, today I was in Torts class, and handling myself pretty well I thought. We were talking about the OPP [or TARP] - the Ordinary Prudent Person - standard and the exceptions for like minded mental illness and no exception for blindness. Anyway, when he asked me to make a note of something and be responsible for reminding him later to discuss something. I replied to him, "Yes Sir". He looked at me and said "You don't have to call me sir" I was really embarrassed. "I'm from Texas sir, that's what we do." He said "ok..." and the WHOLE CLASS STARTED LAUGHING. Then he said, "It just makes me feel so old..." and before I could say a word, my roomate Chelsea pipes up by saying "How do you think it makes me feel?? She calls me ma'am and I'M HER ROOMATE!!!" Then they laughed again. Well, that's all I have to say about California for now.
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2 comments:
Your breeding is showing and shining. It's not your fault you have manners. Well said and well done. Keep leading those poor Californians thru the fog of their own creation.
That's funny, because it is such a Texas thing, but I really wish it wasn't JUST a Texas (or maybe even a southern thing...i'm not sure) thing. I use sir and ma'am frequently also, and when I go back home to St. Louis people think it is funny. And like your professor said, they think it is a gesture made refering to age, but really it isn't in my opinion. I say it just out of respect and courtesy. As you use it with your roommate, I too use it with my friends who are not necessarily "older" than me.
I actually just met an older gentleman at my internship this week who is a preacher and is 73 years old I think he said he was and he says sir and ma'am to EVERYONE. He kept saying "Yes, ma'am" to me ALL throughout our conversation and I'm CERTAINLY not older than he. And while I of course did not expect him to call me "ma'am" I found it really sweet of him.
I just think it is a gesture used for courtesy and kindness and shouldn't be viewed as an "age" qualification.
Thanks for sharing this with us!
Blessings, Liz!
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