Dec 16, 2008

I'm thinking of good manners and etiquette today. For instance, one of the guys in the store got busted by a customer today for calling her honey and darling. That is not good, even I know that. I got busted by the minders at the Hooterville Daily Dish, our morning paper for a remark I made via comment in the online edition, regarding Mormons and their propensity to go door-to-door evangelizing. In response to an article about a problem encountered by one of these missionary Mormons, I suggested that this problem could be avoided if they would just stop riding their bikes all over creation bothering people. That turns out to be offensive in the minds of some. Go figure. Some times it is just hard to know what will rile folks up and what won't. For instance, I had to stop at the post office tonight and there was a Muslim woman alone in the lobby. I was not sure whether she would be offended if I came in or not. I never know how to handle these situations. I went in but I stood a distance away, being careful to not make eye contact or anything. I was still looking away when she came right up to me and asked if she had placed the stamp correctly on the envelope? While I was buying my stamps, she came back up to me to ask when the last mail pickup was? So much for that theory. I guess you just never know. Things in this blog represented to be fact, may or may not actually be true. The writer is frequently wrong, sometimes just full of it, but always judgmental and cranky

10 comments:

Megan said...

"Even when you know, you never know."

A Concerned Citizen said...

The Seventh Day Adventists a block away are the ones who usually attempt to convert my neighborhood (on foot instead of on bikes), but Jacob and Amos scare them away from our house with their ferocious shepherd barks. When it comes down to dogs vs. proselytizers, always bet on the dogs.

You've been posting especially lovely photos lately.

Squirrel said...

All I ever get is the Jehovah's Witnesses ! When are the Mormons and & 7th Day Adventists coming???? That last religion sounds cool, anyway. I like the 7th day part.

Reya Mellicker said...

Especially in this multicultural world we live in, it's easy to make mistakes. Trying to avoid all mistakes would mean staying at home and pulling the drapes closed, staying off line and keeping your mouth shut at all times.

Paying attention - as you do! - is the best possible thing, and making amends when you've offended someone.

Kurt said...

I'm confused about the post office. Isn't anyone free to enter a public place?

Jams said...

My aunt had visited the Cathedral in DC at Christmas and told us how beautiful it was. We decided to go. I thought my husband knew where it was. Imagine my surprise when he pulled into the parking lot of the Mormon Temple.

When we turned around and left, a car followed us. We began turning down little roads in a housing development...left and right....left and right. They continued to follow, finally turning around in the middle of the street and heading back to the temple.

About an hour after we returned home, they knocked on our door and prevailed upon us to see the light.

Major creepy.

tut-tut said...

Jehovah's Witnesses always bring their damn kids along, too.

What Kurt said.

edward said...

i am confused.

Barbara said...

It pays to be careful these days. You never know. I recently learned that Jehovah's Witnesses celebrate NO holidays, including birthdays, and don't vote. It would be hard to run a country if everyone were in that religion...

Steve Reed said...

I think you get points for trying to be culturally sensitive, Merle!