There's a YouTube video that went viral over a year ago called "The Arlington Rap". It targets the preppy, rude, socially unaware, ridiculous people who frequent the Clarendon area of Arlington, where I work on weekends. One particularly hilarious part of it points out that all dudes in Arlington wear brown flip flops (true). During any given shift, I can do a lap around the bar and count AT LEAST 20 guys with the same pair of brown Rainbow flip flops.
I like my job, and the people I work with. I choose to work shifts at the bar to make extra cash, so I can pay off school and build my personal savings. Yet, I am never surprised by the amount of inconsiderate assholes that I encounter while working there. Today was no exception.
I waited on a group of 22 year olds today. How do I know their ages? Because when they ordered pitchers of beer, I ID'ed every single one of them. They gave the classic line that is one of my biggest pet peeves: "Huh, well, we already HAVE drinks." To which I politely said "Yes, which you didn't order from me, so if you wouldn't mind..." I ONLY have to have this kind of a conversation with someone under the age of 25. Maybe it's that they have only been able to drink for a year and they don't know how this whole thing works. Either way, nothing drives me crazier than people who get annoyed when they get ID'ed. As a waitress I am ultimately responsible for responsible service, meaning if I get caught serving someone underage, not only do I risk losing my job and a $5,000 fine, but I could go to jail and have furnishing alcohol to a minor on my permanent record. So yes, I'm going to need to see your ID.
After getting their first round of drinks I let them chat for a while. One of the guys motioned me over. Here's a snapshot of what went down next:
Me: You guys ready to order? (smile)
The Waver Overer: Uhhh...yeah, are you guys like ready?
Douchebag #1: Uh yeah man, I'm good to go.
Skinny Bitch #1: I'm not getting food.
Douchebag #2: I haven't even looked, uhhh...
Skinny Bitch #2, telling a story OVER me the entire time: Blah blah blah....
Douchebag #3: I kind of wanted to hear Katie's story. (Looks at me) Could you like, come back later?
Me: (smile fades) Uh huh.
Manners are defined as the unenforced standards of conduct which demonstrate that a person is proper, polite, and refined. They are like laws in that they codify or set a standard for human behavior, but they are unlike laws in that there is no formal system for punishing transgressions, other than social disapproval. They are a kind of norm. What is considered "mannerly" is highly susceptible to change with time, geographical location, social stratum, occasion, and other factors.
Am I the only person who sees how rude this is? Sometimes I get so frustrated with the sense of entitlement that young 20 somethings walk around this town with. It's something I've never experienced - I was raised in Maine, went to school in Upstate New York, lived in Florida (briefly) and then settled here in this area. The unfortunate thing is that I don't think it is necessarily a trait of people raised in this area - this city is a suitcase city and I date a "local". He nor his friends are nothing like this. Where does this come from? How do people lose their awareness of social norms to the point where they are just so blatantly inconsiderate? Like when you're on a date and your date is glued to his BlackBerry or Droid. Or when you're in a business meeting and someone answers their phone right in the middle of you answering one of their questions. Better yet, like some of my brides who INSIST on setting up weekend appointments that cut into my free time and then no show to them. Maybe it's that we live in a digital age and we expect things instantly. Maybe this digital age has disconnected us from face to face communications to the point that we don't know how to conduct ourselves.
All I know is that I stood at the hostess stand for a solid ten minutes and chatted with my friend J while this table watched and impatiently tried to signal me over. I ignored them. When I finally sauntered over to the table Skinny Bitch #2 said: "Um, we've been ready to order!!" To which I said:"I'm sorry, my friend was finishing his story."
:)
Very nice and very true, even coming from a brown rainbow wearing person. I do understand this odd sense the some people have of personal entitlement that is undeserved. There is something about working in the service industry that people dont understand. Its very simple, were are there to PROVIDE a service, not to be a servant. Most people were sadly raised poorly and dont understand that simple concept.
ReplyDelete