Do folks get offended when..... (college, safe, working)

[CooperTrooper]

Well i am getting the impression they weren't talking about Maine when they say the "north". Who knows were it came from but my husband grew up 60 miles from my home town and he heard the same thing as a kid. I'm glad I won't offend anyone We always enjoy our time up there!

[mainebrokerman]

when young folks say sir to me, im feelin my age

[CooperTrooper]

Originally Posted by mainebrokerman

when young folks say sir to me, im feelin my age

Just shows you're a respectful man I'm 31, it is taking me a while to get use to being called ma'am!

[mainebrokerman]

Originally Posted by CooperTrooper

Just shows you're a respectful man I'm 31, it is taking me a while to get use to being called ma'am!

maybe i've just noticed that (being called sir) in the last 5 yrs or so,
but when i go into a store and the young lady behind the counter says good morning sir (i know and appreciate its a term of respect and much better than, hey-you old bastard)
it echos, what my parents told me when younger-when you see someone that looks your grandfathers age-call him sir

[GreenGene]

Originally Posted by reloop

What I do tend to use more (mainly with the elderly) is "Mr." or "Mrs." ________. I just find it more respectful, and they usually tend to seem to appreciate it more.

There are some that say, "Oh, just call me <first name> and then I will.

A Maine story related to this ....

I started visiting Maine on a regular basis when I was 3 years old, and missed only one summer over the next 15 years or so. The owners of the camps we went to every year were roughly the same age as my parents, and were automatically "Mr. and Mrs." That was just the way things were - just the way I was brought up.

When I first brought my wife up to the same camps (she was pregnant with our first child at the time), the owners said the same thing - oh, just call us _________.

And I did - once - and it sounded SO wrong that I just couldn't do it again.

I explained that it was both a habit that start very early in my life and had become very strong over the years, and also a sign of respect that I knew they deserved. I said I hoped that they would understand, but they would always be "Mr. and Mrs." to me. They smiled, and nodded, and said that many of "their" kids - the kids they had watched grow up from one summer to the next - had said more or less the same thing, and whatever we were comfortable with was just fine with them.

That just made me respect and love them all the more.

[mollysmiles]

I have to admit, I don't like being called "ma'am", even though I completely understand the reasoning for the title. Having grown up in Maine I prefer "Mrs.", but my favorite is always "deah".

[BacktoNE]

I truly do not like being called ma'am. It sounds sooooo old. I understand why some people do it, and I would never say anything to them about it, but my name is "xyz" and I prefer that people use that. Mrs. X would be my now-deceased MIL.

To my recollection, I have never in my life called anyone ma'am or sir. I can't think why I would have. It's either Mr., Mrs., or by their first name.

Oh, and don't call me dear or honey either unless you are at least 80 and cute.

[cdodge04]

I say sir and ma'am basically all the time...not sure where I picked it up...as not many people I know address others in such a way. I address people my own age and younger as a sir/ma'am as well as my elders. I have had some people ask me not to call them sir/ma'am as it makes them feel "old" or others say "I'm not that much older than you, don't call me that". It's hard to know exactly what to call some people..some are offended if you go by first name, some are offended if you go by Mr. or Mrs. and some are offended by the sir/ma'am...I try to just remember what certain people prefer and apologize when I offend.

[CooperTrooper]

hehehe I know what you mean. It is usually like "Call me Steve" and i am like "yes sir" "I'm sorry, Mr. Steve" and he's like "STEVE!"

[cdodge04]

^ lmao I do that all the time... "Don't call me sir, call me Steve" so what do I say? "I'm sorry sir, Steve it is!"