I know the young lady was being polite. She was probably just doing what she was taught. It's called having good manners.But I was offended, so I turned to her and asked: Why did you call me ma'am?
"Because you're my elder," she said, looking surprised.
Really? How old do I look to you? I asked her.
"30s?" she said.
This chic didn't look younger than 20, so how in the h#$$ was I her elder? Sure, I was older than her. But I was certainly not her elder.
I equate the term "elder" with a senior citizen, someone 80 and up. (Yes I said 80, because I have women in my Jazzercise class in their 70s who I wouldn't dare call elder.)
I googled the term ma'am and according to Dictionary.com, ma'am is: "used as a title of respect, especially when addressing female royalty."
That may be the case, but when I think of the word "ma'am" I think of someone old, a retiree with grandkids and great-grandkids, maybe a hip replacement and a cane watching her "stories."
I don't think of myself.
In fact, I feel great — young, vibrant — more like a 20-something. I have so much energy and feel like I have so much more to accomplish.
However, in exactly one month, I'm no longer going to be able to call my blog "30 Something" because I will no longer be "thirty-something." But though I'm entering into a new decade, a new phase in my life, that doesn't mean you can call me ma'am !
holla...
1 comment:
Lottie, have you forgotten your southern upbringing? I don't know about you, but when I was raised in Georgia, we all were taught to say "Yes ma'am" and "Yes sir" from an early age. You're lucky you're in DC -- it would probably happen to you about 100 times as often if you were still living in the deep south! :)
Post a Comment