People have been calling me "sir" for around 25-30 years. I know they don't mean it. No respect. Quite the reverse. :sad: J.
So there you are admiring the form of that young woman leaving the store ahead of you. And then she turns and smiles...while holding the door for you.
I found wearing a tie helps. Besides getting the "sir" more, people seem - however slightly - more inclined to do as I ask (or tell) them. Yes - something intimidating about a tie. I wear one 7 days a week, whether I need to or not. Last time I counted, I had 55 of them. When I'm dressed up, people sometimes think I'm a retired lawyer or policeman - the only two groups they might be scared of. J.
It's probably the way that you carry yourself. No longer as a scrappy rookie, but as a seasoned veteran of life who has many, many years of his prime left. If there's anything that throws me off it's women- young and old- that I meet who call me "sweetie" or "honey". Sometimes, I gather, it's just the waitress trying to soften me up to get a bigger tip from me, but what about the woman behind the counter at the post office ? I don't get it.
Ha! :laugh: Thanks. Nice of you to say that, Maniac. But the truth is, if they took my tie away, I'd probably start crying. :wink: J.
Yeah, my beard turned white early, so I get rid of it since it makes a huge difference in how old I look.
I typically only wear a tie if I am required to, such as a work related court appearance. I prefer Jerry Garcia ties, my own little joke on the system.
Similarly, I get called Ma'am more. I think it's a combo of my age and that I live in the south. Still, heck yes. My students always called me Chef DeRosa and I introduce myself to children (my kid's friends) as Mrs. DeRosa. I require that of my children when referring to other adults- I think there is a message to send to children that adults and children are not "friends" - I like lines and boundaries.
