Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Hump Day Manners

My friend Michele suggested I start a Wednesday advice column on etiquette for the New World. I hate to disappoint her, so today is the first installment. And, in typical fashion, I'm not going to wait for you to ASK me for advice, I'm going to offer it unsolicited. We'll start easy, with just a few behaviors I see regularly that I think--in the interest of living a better life in a better world--should cease and desist:

1. spitting on the sidewalk. Unless you're choking to death on a ball of phlegm or have swallowed a small rodent, wait until you find a toilet, a sink, or an area overgrown with ivy.
2. tossing your cigarette butt onto the ground. It is, apparently a little known fact that cigarette filters are resistant to degradation. They are made from cellulose acetate. They contain the chemicals filtered from the cigarettes, which can leach into our water supplies. And they can start fires. That thing in your car, under the radio? That's an ashtray.
3. waiting until you get up to the drive-through ATM to fill out your deposit slip and count your money. Reasons are self-evident to all but the most self-absorbed.
4. leaving your shopping cart in the middle of the parking space or lot. I mean really. Are you THAT lazy? 
5. not picking up the apples that rolled off the top of the pile onto the grocery store floor when you were fishing for your perfect, unbruised, shiny Red Delicious. Don't make me throw one at your head.
6. talking on your mobile phone while interacting with a store clerk. Okay, I admit to having done this. But it's just so rude. What if the clerk did the same thing? We'd be livid.
7. parking on or over the line and thus taking up two parking spaces instead of one. Your car is just really not THAT special. If you're that worried about door dings, leave it in the garage.
8. showing up empty handed. Do you want to be invited back?
9. not wiping down the gym equipment after you've sweated all over it. Ew. Your mother doesn't work out here.
10. Giving unsolicited advice. OOPS.