The Best of Manners

It's cold and flu season and nearly everyone I know - and don't know - has some version of it. However, seeing I avoided it this year (by taking Zinc & Vitamin C tablets twice a day), it doesn't mean everyone has to go and share their germs, snortings and coughs with me! Okay, I'll begin with yesterday. I was out and about doing my fortnightly shop; and there nearly everyone out there sounded terrible, but did any of them have a handkerchief to cover their mouths or blow their noses? Nope. Did any of them turn away from us ones who were well enough to be out there without a cold so we didn't get whatever they had (even if they had asthma or a smoker's cough, it still sounds like a flu; but we're not know that)... and the answer is nope. They just coughed and sputtered all over everyone around them. It's disgusting.
I had one lady handle my things at Life Line after she rubbed her nose with her hand. And those things were a Glo-Mesh bag and a vinyl bag... gee, thanks. I wiped them down when I got home so I didn't get whatever she had - even if she only had sinus, I don't know if it was the beginnings of a cold. While I was at K-Mart Plaza, I was standing outside K-Mart searching my trolley for a bottle of water I had bought when an older man and his son (who was my age) walked past. The older man turned in my direction and hacked out a phlegmy cough - without covering his mouth!!! I stood up and said, "Dude! That was gross! Cover your mouth, don't give me what you got!" his son grabbed his arm and said, "Dad, don't do that. Get out your handkerchief, that's why you've got it." the old man said, "I'm sick, I should be able to cough where I please." I shuddered when I heard that... I was so upset about what he said I almost followed him to tell him off again; but thought he might cough directly in my face; and I didn't want that. Instead, I found my water, had a drink and kept walking.
This is the kind of thing that we shouldn't have to put up with. I may be a young - late-30's - person, but I was taught my manners by my Grandparents and my parents; and it was strict. I was told to keep my elbows off the table at restaurants, excuse myself if I belch, cover my mouth when I cough and sneeze (plus turning away is also another thing to do!) and never backchat my elders. It's just something that was drilled into me when I was growing up; and it's still with me today.
A couple of years ago, I was on a bus traveling to Springwood when an older Turkish woman with her daughter were sitting adjacent to me. The older woman opened her mouth and let out a loud belch that stunk strongly of garlic! I was insulted in two ways; firstly that she had such bad breath; and secondly that she didn't excuse herself. I straight out said so and her daughter also pulled her up. The older woman said, "I belch because I need to. Why should I excuse myself?" I said it was good manners to excuse herself and better manners to cover her mouth if she was going to belch like that in public; not to mention unladylike to do that. The older woman said it wasn't a problem in Turkey; so why would it be here? Her daughter said it was here because women are taught to burp, but to into their hands as it's not what others want to hear. We were both dismissed by the older woman as though it wasn't true.
I don't understand how when I express good manners, I'm laughed at by kids today; and yet when people act like untrained monkeys, it seems to be okay with the rest of the world. Is it me? Am I getting to point in my life where I'm losing the fun of it all? I hope not. This doesn't just cross people in general, it goes across all kinds of ways we express ourselves. From the minute you attend pre-school (better known as Prep now) to when you into college or university, into the workforce, driving a car, taking a holiday, flying on planes... pretty much anywhere you go where there's going to be other humans - as well as animals - you're going to come across sets of manners from different cultures that are going to differ from your own. In Japan, they have a totally different way of looking at how you should carry yourself from not filing your nails in public to not sticking your chopsticks into the middle of your meal (yes, that's very rude to do), their culture makes their manners totally different to the Western World's manners.
Manners of all types - from all over the world - should be taught through each generation through word of mouth; as well as etiquette classes at school; so children know early what is expected of them throughout their lives - not just when they leave school and get a job. Today's generation of kids have no idea how to treat each other or anyone else around them. It's pathetic that the rules of manners and good behaviour has to die with one generation or another. Until my next post, take care, keep safe and warm and remember, I'm always here.