"I'M NOT A KNIGHT!!"

[40BELOW]

This man comes in today (70-75 years old) and I can see him scanning the coolers at the back of the store. I asked if there was something I could help him with. He asked if we carried a certain brand of tonic water. And like any good store clerk, I walked to the back of the store and found what he was looking for.

He stuck out his hand to take the bottle from me and I said, "I'll take it up front for you, Sir."

He yells, "I'M NOT A KNIGHT!!"

I had just turned around, so he was directly behind me. He scared the crap out of me.

I said, "Excuse me?"

He yells, "YOU CALLED ME 'SIR'! I'M NOT A KNIGHT! I DON'T HAVE A HORSE OR A SUITE OF ARMOUR!"

And he's wasn't joking. He was truly upset.

WOW! Really? I was always taught to respect my elders. I've never had anyone get upset because I've called the, "Sir." (Although, I suppose if I called a woman, "Sir", she probably get upset, but I'd never do that. Well, not intentionally anyways.)

Now I'm standing at the cash register. I calmly replied, " I meant it purely as a sign of respect. But you obviously don't want or deserve my respect, so I apologize."

He's still standing at the back of the store with his mouth open.

I said, "Hey you. I'm not going to serve you from back there. So if you want your tonic water, you'll have to come up here."

Now his face is beet red.

"I WANT TO SPEAK TO THE STORE MANAGER, NOW!!"

"I'M the store manager. What can I do for you?"

"WHERE'S THE OWNER?!!?"

"He'll be in today after 4 o'clock."

And he left. Maybe he was having a bad day. But it was worse when he left.

___________________

"Sometimes life seems like a dream, especially when I look down and see that I forgot to put on my pants." Jack Handy

[Shpepper]

I've heard "Don't call me sir, I work for a living." But I've never heard this one before. I can't say what my response would have been to that, but I do like your response.

[Argabarga]

There truly is no pleasin' some people ...


Is there?


Sir?

[LadyAndreca]

*laugh* I have an online friend who refuses to call me 'LadyA' because of some thing he and his friends did in high school having to do with nobility/peasantry. I laughed and explained to him that I actually was granted the title in a similiar game I played about the same time. He's called me Andy since then, which I don't really mind since I answer to it.

But he's the ONLY person I've ever met that's ever connected being called 'sir' with knighthood. I'd have laughed at the guy in your store if I'd met him.

[Arm]

I've heard "Don't call me sir, I work for a living." But I've never heard this one before. I can't say what my response would have been to that, but I do like your response.

That one's generally from the military, in my experience; I've said it in the past myself. Officers are 'sir' and do no work, enlisted people are addressed by rank and do all the work, especially in fixing the problems said officers cause

It may have its origins in the aristocracy, though. I'm not sure.

[Shpepper]

I don't know about the aristocracy, but I heard it from Marines. I grew up with a Marine Corps base as my back fence. To this day, I have one friend that I call "Sir" only when I want to rile him up. He was one of those Marines.

[Animae]

I've had guys say "I'm no gentleman" when I ask what I can get for them, but I've never had anyone flip over sir. That's just odd. You should not get in any trouble if he complains, you tried to be respectful and nice.

[adarhysenthe]

The term "sir" has it's origins in Knighthood, so the old man was valid on that point alone. Over time, as people were knighted less for their prowess in battle and more often for their prowess in other things, the term began to be used less for those of superior rank and more for those deemed worthy of respect, like today.

[iradney]

I dunno why he's complaining about being called "Sir". I would LOVE to be called "Lady Iradney". That way I can swan around, acting like a duchess. Only problem is I'd have wear a hat that looks like someone dropped an icecream cone on my head

[adarhysenthe]

Lol! I get called milady sometimes, but I'm in a medieval reenactment society. You should totally join, if only to hear that. It's nice.

[Toujin]

With the guy's response, I'm wondering just how old he really was...and what's his secret for living so long...

[Boggles]

When I used to run the adult emporium we specialized in gear for people who were into Bondage and various related activities. I learnt incredibly fast not to refer to the clientelle as Sir or Madam because that implied you were submissive and gave them certain ideas!

Ideas that, I hasten to add, they were quickly corrected on!

[AirHostess]

I never call punters sir or madam. It is not the 1890's and I am not a domestic servant.

[cinema guy]

In the UK it is still a formal title used when someone receives a knighthood.

Terry Pratchett became Sir Terry Pratchett last year.

[PepperElf]

That one's generally from the military, in my experience; I've said it in the past myself. Officers are 'sir' and do no work, enlisted people are addressed by rank and do all the work, especially in fixing the problems said officers cause

though most enlisted i've seen saying that are also laughing (or hiding a laugh) when they do it.

tho ... well the guys from the south tend to call all women ma'am regardless of E or O status, just cos they were raised that way.