A few weeks back, I worked with a manager from a different store. Somehow or another, she helped with a problem and I said thank you. She mumbled a response that was neither heard nor understood. I was busy. Also, when I hear mumbling, I just stop listening. I have no patience for that shit. But then, she continued and said something that I resonated loud and clear. Not only that, my interest was oddly piqued – she apologized for her mumbled response, paused, and offered a sincere ‘you’re welcome‘.
In an uncharacteristic move, I inquired why the hell she was making such a projected fuss about the issue. Apparently, she recently viewed a TED TALK emphasizing the importance of saying ‘you’re welcome’ instead of the alternative, commonly accepted responses such as – no problem – fine – okay – etc. I’m a guy – a guttural musing or similar type acknowledgement is more often than not grunted. The words ‘you’re welcome‘ are implied, of course, but hardly recognizable.
Over the next week or so, I realized how seldom I said those two simple words – you’re welcome. I pride myself in being properly mannered. Yet when thanked for something, I said everything but the customary response.
Ugh!
So, I decided to change. Contrary to popular belief, I am capable of doing such a thing. I must admit, it seemed rather odd at first. Now, however, ‘you’re welcome’ has become a natural tendency.
To be a responsible blogger, I tried to find the TED TALK that inspired this damn Random Nonsense of a post . My search was in vain. Oddly enough, all I could find were YouTube videos encouraging responses that were anything but ‘you’re welcome’.
Go figure, eh!?
I am old school. You’re welcome should be the proper response for a well-deserved Thank you. Hell, some people don’t even say that anymore. Ye gads! What would Emily Post say?
Soon, Thanksgiving will be upon us. I decided to post this to pre-empt the annual holiday. Yeah, yeah, yeah, my order is totally messed up. I know. I still struggle with that whole timing thing, okay. However, Thanksgiving has, and always will be, reserved for Adele and the Saturday Night Live cast. Considering this has been a cluster fuck of a year, blogging about You’re Welcome BEFORE Thanksgiving seemed appropriate.
Gobble, gobble?!
