"I'M NOT A KNIGHT!!"

[iradney]

The man came in this morning. He was in a much better mood today. He apologized. He introduced himself and we shook hands.

We have a bus strike here in town and he been chauffeuring people around all day to various appointments. That's why his temper was so short. Traffic wise, the whole city is a mess. I was his last stop of the day, and he needed to lash out at someone.

I asked him why he objected to being called, "Sir". He said people started calling him, "Sir" when he turned about 40 years old and he never liked it. I didn't push him for an explanation. Better to let sleeping dogs lie. I've always used it as a form of respect and I told him that.

He apologized profusely again. He asked what the significance of some of my tattoos were. We talked for about an hour. It turn out we share a few common interests. Before he left, he extended his hand again and I shook it again. He was a very nice man.

So, there ya go. There some sucky customers out there, but some of them are only sucky for about 24 hours.

Wow, I'm very impressed at this guy! He may have BEEN sucky, but by being man enough to come back and apologize, he's gone to "person who just had a bad day". Glad to hear you guys got on so well

[Akasa]

Wow, I'm very impressed at this guy! He may have BEEN sucky, but by being man enough to come back and apologize, he's gone to "person who just had a bad day". Glad to hear you guys got on so well

What she said!

[Jester]

I've always been bewildered by people who explode when someone tries to address them with a term generally meant to convey respect.

To my credit, I don't explode on people who call me "sir," I merely object to it in a fun and humorous way, and most people take it as such.

Of course, being the smartass that I am, I have my own way of dealing with OTHERS who object to sir. But only if I know they have a sense of humor......

JESTER: "And what would you like to drink, sir?"
NOT SIR: "Don't call me sir."
JESTER: "Okay. What would you like to drink.....asshole?"
NOT SIR:

If said the right way to the right person, this will actually UP my tip, not only from him, but from his friends. It almost always gets a laugh. And yes, I have had this maneuver pulled on me. And I, naturally, laugh. "Much better!" is what I would usually say to this. Because, ya know, I kind of AM an asshole!

Of course, I would never pull this on someone who crustily says, "Don't call me sir! I work for a living!" I have found it's never a good idea to piss off drill sergeants.

[Ironclad Alibi]

Here is a 1980 commentary on the "sir" issue from the Hello Carol comic strip:

[dalesys]

"Milord, 'tis obvious that some caitiff rogue hath used thy cerebrectomy as a thundermug!"

[Rapscallion]

Would be much easier if we made sure everyone went around wearing signs indicating what they wanted to be called.

Rapscallion

[MannersMakethMan]

Well, if he's not a knight of the round table, he doesn't dance whene'er he's able, so no wonder he's such a grouchy old fart.

Seriously, if that's the worst thing he gets in a day - respect - then he's having rather a good time of it I think.

[Skeksin]

Verily, goodman, we must needs attend to the chekout line. For there art no cash register in thine current location and as such no transactions may take place, forthwith.

Or somesuch other archaic lingual frippery.

Wonder if his head would have exploded with that.

[Alpha Strike]

The man came in this morning. He was in a much better mood today. He apologized. He introduced himself and we shook hands.

Good to see that he maned up and apologized for his shitty behavior - as someone else posted, that moves him from "SC" to "person having a bad day."

I do have to wonder about people who get their panties in a wad about being called "sir" or "ma'am." Unless we as customer service representatives know a person's name, what else are we supposed to call them? And equally important, if a person doesn't like being called "ma'am" or "sir" how are we supposed to know?

Seems silly to get worked up over this, since most folks use this term of address with people they don't know. It's such a common practice nowadays, I'm not even sure I would know how to address or otherwise get someone's attention.

[trailerparkmedic]

When I worked at a call center, everyone was "Sir" or "Ma'am" -- mostly because I'm terrible with names and I didn't want to look up their name. When I was acting team leader, I actually had to take a supervisor call from a lady who blew up at being called "Ma'am." She seriously spent 20 minutes (just with me!) ranting and raving about how that was how men kept women down and subjugated (sp?) them. Never mind I'm a woman, and so was the person who initially called her ma'am....

[Jay 2K Winger]

Would be much easier if we made sure everyone went around wearing signs indicating what they wanted to be called.

Rapscallion

Combine this with Bill Engval's usual suggestion, and you might have something there.

[AirHostess]

A purser 'told me off' the other day for not calling passengers sir or madam. Yeah like you can't be polite without doing that! I still didn't call them that. Like our airline has just lost 90 million pounds, I don't see calling a passenger sir is going to reverse that.

[Kirachan]

my nickname for my little brother is "sir". when he was very little he wanted to be a knight so i started calling him that and it stuck. but at work i try to avoid sir and ma'am, because i tend to get in a rut of calling everyone ma'am and then a guy walks in... very embarrassing.

[Becks]

On another message board that I hang out at, I'm one of the (relatively) few females that post.

I'm often referred to as "milady" and I enjoy every second of it.

[Mark Healey]

I prefer to be addressed as "Oh, All Seeing, Wise and Mighty Poobah".