Humility comes in all forms

[trystinn]

Today a very nice airman came into the bookstore. Thoroughly polite young man, most likely from Texas given his accent. He bought a journal for a homesick Navy friend who was depressed and wrote a beautiful sentiment on the inside cover. While I wrapped it he had a great time rubbing Flash's belly and told me about his dog, Beau. Seems the young man had a basset back in TX, but left the dog with his parents when he joined the Navy since he wasn't sure if he could take care of Beau here in Oak Harbor. I let him know Flash was there almost every Sunday, which he was happy to hear and that he was welcome to walk Flash around the block anytime he wanted to. This cheered him up considerably and when he left he told me he felt better about the whole thing and was going to look into getting his dog sent up here now that he knew it was a dog friendly town. Promised to bring Beau in to meet Flash.

In every way possible he was an incredible example of what a young man could and should be, except he insisted on calling me "Ma'm" the whole while. Yeah, I know its a cultural mannerism of the South and given my status as married woman in her *cough* mid-thirties it was meant in the deepest respect. But I twitched every single time he said it, couldn't help myself. Probably didn't help manners that not only did I bring a thermos of coffee to work, but both my husband and Deb showed up with lattes for me so I've been high on caffeine all day.

Happy New Year's from the Old Lagamorph Lady and her family to you and yours!

Comments

[alfrecht.livejournal.com]

So, was he cute, did you get his name, and is he gay and single? :)

Happy New Year (slightly early) to you as well!

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

He was gorgeous (fit, blonde, edible) straight and a Bible Baptist.

I did fish around on your behalf, as I always do. You know the sad thing is, I know a great guy for you except he lives on the Peninsula. Can you handle a Gardnerian?

[dana3.livejournal.com]

Dunno. Is he man enough to handle a Gardnerian?? *weg*

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

LMAO

Sebastian is a very yummy bear, I'd love to set him up. *WEG*

[alfrecht.livejournal.com]

Actually, religion is one of the least things I worry about--while I'm certainly not going to sign up to be the boyfriend of someone who is blatantly and insistently a born-again Christian, I'm used to the idea that my own religion is pretty limited in its membership, so someone who is pagan of any type is certainly not outside the realm of possibility. Within reason, of course...!

But many other factors do play larger roles. I am very shallow in that I have to be physically-attracted to the person, which sometimes works against me. There are many nice guys I've encountered who simply didn't "spark" me in that way, despite being wonderful people in so many other ways. And, often, the guys that I'm attracted to have no interest in me or have widely-different ultimate aims than I do, which again works against me. Alas, it's a design flaw.

When I meet you (at last!), perhaps we can discuss this more!

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

Hey, sounds good to me. I do know exactly what you mean though. I'm sexually attracted to a very small group of people, though I'm emotionally attracted to a larger group - if that makes sense?

[alfrecht.livejournal.com]

Yes, you essentially said in few words what I was trying to say in far too many. That's it exactly!

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

Buffing my nails now. :)

[reikimage.livejournal.com]

Sweet that he was so happy to give your dog attention.

I work with a kid who was raised in Fla. Nice kid but he keeps calling me Ma'am and I've never been called that on a regular basis before. It's always a bit of a shock to hear it.

[bunnsidhe.livejournal.com]

I always thought ma'm was a military thing? My brother starting the whole ma'm thing when he joined the army.

[bunnsidhe.livejournal.com]

started, sorry.

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

Its not so much around here, unless the person of rank is significantly lower than the woman he's talking to.

Cultural bias may apply.

[wild-heart.livejournal.com]

Didn't you just generate an aristocratic title? Seems to me that you should gently correct those that call you ma'am by asking them to call you by your proper title.

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

Her Grace. as I recall. Always did like that one. *WEG*

[keastree.livejournal.com]

Actually, one of the things I loved most about moving here is that men are taught to say that to all women who aren't family. You can generally tell the natives from the imports from the DC suburbs by whether they do it or not, and that is completely refreshing. It's something I want my son to do, because there are not enough gentlemen left in the world, and too few people training them. :(

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

See now in that context it sounds better. :)

[brock-tn.livejournal.com]

I've lived in the South 34 years out of 52, and I tend to say "Ma'm" to just about every adult woman I meet in a non-social setting. It's just something that was considered good manners when I was growing up.

Yes, it's a bit archaic, but it's possible to be TOO informal, isn't it?

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

Definately. Given that I grew up in both Brooklyn and Arizona, I've got a horrid tendency to refer to everyone as "honey", "dear" or "darling". Can't seem to break the habbit.

I'm sure in my sixties it will finally be appropriate.

[paigemom.livejournal.com]

Ma'am always throws me, too.

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

Josh says I'm in denial about my age.