What does it take to be friendly?

I was in a shop yesterday where I stood waiting my turn to be served. I watched the young man as he served each customer before me, I was wondering just how long it might take him to get to the point of actually saying a please or a thank you to one of the customers.

Then again maybe it is just me. Maybe people no longer want to hear somebody say thank you.

Later I popped into the newsagents where I was greeted with the exact opposite.

Here the lady greeted me with, “Good afternoon darling, what can I get you? Is that all I can do for you today sweetie? You have a nice day now.”  Maybe the silent approach was better.

So I am never happy. The first lad seems to have lost it completely, it was almost as if he did not want to be there, the second just did not sound for a minute as though she meant it. 

What happened to just being nice to each other, interested in each other? Polite to each other. 

Where is all this leading to I hear you ask? Well before I get there can I apologise to those of a sensitive nature, but I just could not help myself when I was told this story. I did really laugh out loud, and it was so appropriate after my experience in the two shops. 

It started when I was telling a friend about my two shop experiences. This lady was confused about the word service. She asked if I had noticed that like logistics it was appearing everywhere.

She thought about all the places the word seemed to be used but was confused why. 

She laughed when she noticed that sometimes the British Broadcasting Company, BBC, was often being called the British Broadcasting Service.  it might be lots of things but I doubt if it is a service? 

Then there are one or two others.

Inland Revenue  'Service'

Postal  'Service' 


Telephone 'Service'

Cable TV 'Service'  


Civil  'Service' 


Customer 'Service'

It seemed that the word service was being used out of context when you consider how each of the above responds to you. 

Now if you are of a sensitive nature be warned miss the next paragraph. 

She then went on to tell me how it all fell into place when she heard two farmers having a discussion. One was telling the other how he had hired a wonderful bull to service all his cows. 

In that moment she realised what the word service meant in our modern society.

Have a wonderful day. I guess I will just continue to be friendly to others and hope that they in return are friendly to me. I can but hope. Or maybe I have to await my return to France where no matter where you go or who you meet you are welcomed with a Bonjour or Bonsoir.

Please do have a wonderful day.