An older car pulled to the other side of the gas pump with the sound system jacked up and the top of the trunk visibly vibrating.

Other drivers looked, then looked away.

I yelled (necessarily): “Excuse me. Please turn it down.” The driver ignored me, even on the second attempt. It was as if I wasn’t even there.

What an ignorant, self-absorbed society we have become.

Polite and thoughtful behavior is taken as a mark of a weak person.

There was a time when the first three words children learned were the three magic words we all learned: “please” and “thank you.”

You rarely hear “please,” and “thank you” has become “no problem.”

Adults break in line and take offense if you object.

It works like this. Whether in a queue to vote or pay for groceries, folks come to the line, strike up a conversation with someone they may or may not know and merge. Rude.

It is the way now; get over it.

The first task is often getting someone’s attention.

Whether on airplanes or dealing with the receptionist at the doctor’s office, people are ear-plugged in to a sound device. They have tuned the world out. Rude.

Remember these?

A man stands, never sits, when a woman approaches.

On public transportation, a man always yields his seat to a woman.

Wait for a woman to extend her hand first to shake hands. If she doesn’t, you don't. Some women don’t.

Identify yourself when making a phone call.

Ignore your ringing cell phone while in “live” conversation.

Always offer to hold the door for a woman, and if you walk through a door, hold it for someone else.

Always send a hand-written “thank you” note (email not withstanding).

We all want to make a good impression, but you will impress people more positively if you listen carefully than if you talk about yourself.

It is no secret that I admire the British for their civilized behavior and clear communication in the English language. But, they are concerned that their society has become polluted with “Americanisms.”

Rude!

Joe Phillips writes his “Dear me” columns for several small newspapers. He has many connections to Walker County, including his grandfather, former superintendent Waymond Morgan. He can be reached at joenphillips@hotmail.com.