"Good Boy"

[HowMayIHelpMe?]

I was helping a woman early this afternoon with her search for a headboard for a king size bed. That's the set-up here. We didn't stock much in the way of headboards, but our company has a catalog by our order counter that customers can peruse through to see if they can find something that can be "specially ordered" for them.

We were at this stage of the game when the lady, in her late 50's, I suppose, found one she wanted. So, I used my POS to go into our stock database to locate the headboard's item number and price.

I reached up with my hand over the receipt printer, advanced some blank receipt tape to jot down some of the information for her, and she said, "Are you printing that out for me?"

I said, "I'm writing that down for you, ma'am."

To which she replied, "Good Boy!"

You don't do that. You just do NOT call a grown man boy.

I even remember the time of day this happened to me today; it was 1:35 in the afternoon. It ruined my whole afternoon. I hope she got into a bad, bad car accident.

You NEVER call a grown man "boy". That is the very same thing (and to be clear, no difference AT ALL) as calling an African-American the "n-word" or an Asian-American the "c-word".

I'm still fuming even now, as I write this, and it's quarter to midnight.

I really hope (and actively wish) that something terrible happens to her.

EDIT: I retract my wish for the woman to meet with harm. What she did was still very much in the wrong, though.

[Pedersen]

See, I'm not sure, but I think I'd take it differently.

It's impossible for me to know her inflection/etc, but one of the stereotypes that you hear about is that of an elderly woman calling any nice male younger than 40 a good boy, as in "You're such a good boy!".

She might very well have meant it in that fashion.

Just another point of view to ponder.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I'm with Pederson. While it wasn't the best choice of wording she could have picked, she probably didnt' mean it the way it sounded.

I wasn't there, of course, and it's possible she was just a rude idiot. But it's also possible she didn't mean to offend you.

[Kirachan]

yeah i got called "good girl" the other day by a customer, she asked for a bag and I put her stuff in one and she said "good girl!" i think she saw me glare at her quickly cuz she didnt say it again, but she was perfectly sweet otherwise so i don't think she ment any harm by it.

[Shironu-Akaineko]

You'd hate me. I call everyone "boy" or "girl".

[donruss]

You don't do that. You just do NOT call a grown man boy.

You NEVER call a grown man "boy". That is the very same thing (and to be clear, no difference AT ALL) as calling an African-American the "n-word" or an Asian-American the "c-word".

While it does border on suck, IT IS NOT THE SAME THING AS THOSE RACIAL EPITHETS!!! I'm white/native-american so I know a little something about it. The term "Redskin" is very offensive to me. I will agree that "boy" to a black person is offensive. Sorry, I refuse to call them African-Americans because very few of them are actually from Africa. I do not call myself English-American because my however many great-grandfather came off the boat all those years ago.
/rant off

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

You NEVER call a grown man "boy". That is the very same thing (and to be clear, no difference AT ALL) as calling an African-American the "n-word" or an Asian-American the "c-word".

Ummm....not even close. Words like the "n-word" or the "c-word" are offensive on their face and carry a much stronger emotional charge than being called "boy".

You are much too easily offended by that if you're actively wishing harm on that woman. I myself might find it odd to be called "boy", although I'm not too much older than one myself, but I would not be obsessing over it as you are.

Unless you are black, in which case the term "boy" carries more offense. But otherwise you really need to get a grip.

[d962831]

she basically treated you like a dog, you're a human being. I would have slapped her.

[rerant]

You NEVER call a grown man "boy". That is the very same thing (and to be clear, no difference AT ALL) as calling an African-American the "n-word" or an Asian-American the "c-word".

Not. Even. Close.

[Shadowwalker]

I'm with you op. saying that is very demeaning. it's what you would call a dog. "roll over... good boy"

i wouldn't like someone saying that to me AT ALL. especially if you are a grown man.

While it does border on suck, IT IS NOT THE SAME THING AS THOSE RACIAL EPITHETS!!! I'm white/native-american so I know a little something about it. The term "Redskin" is very offensive to me. I will agree that "boy" to a black person is offensive. Sorry, I refuse to call them African-Americans because very few of them are actually from Africa. I do not call myself English-American because my however many great-grandfather came off the boat all those years ago.
/rant off

if he personally is greatly offended by this then why is it a lesser offense than "racial epithets"?

[Neo_Classic]

I don't like it either but I don't think it's comparable to being called the N-word.

[mattm04]

You say "Good Boy" to a Dog when they do what you want them to do. Not a Store Employee. A simple Thank you is all it takes.

[HowMayIHelpMe?]

I'm with you op. saying that is very demeaning. it's what you would call a dog. "roll over... good boy"

Thank you, Shadowwalker.

[Shadowwalker]

Thank you, Shadowwalker.

no prob. even if it wasn't meant to be malicious it still has that master-slave feel to it that makes me want to scream. but some old ladies talk like that sometimes so don't even worry about it.

[marasbaras]

You'd hate me. I call everyone "boy" or "girl".

Me, too ... I don't want to ruin anyone's fun by implying that they've grown up.