You Are Too Polite

It is time to buy new tires for our car. One of the places we wanted to check prices is the dealership where we bought the car. However, I can’t get them to return my calls. I called this morning again, and after leaving a message Suzy said, “You will never get them to return your call. You were too polite.”

Suzy’s words became my morning meditation. First, was she right? The answer became obvious when I waited the morning for a return call to no avail. Second, has our society shifted to where politeness became the wrong way to address a problem? Does an in-your-face attitude get better results? I worry that may be the case.

I was raised to be polite, but I have to admit that I have seen that being a demanding jerk accomplish things politeness doesn’t. When this happens it disturbs me. It seems that politeness should trump being obnoxious.

Where am I going with this? I will get a set of tires from somewhere. I hear COSTCO does a good job, but can people really be “too polite?” I didn’t think so, but I will have to think about it.

About the author

Webb Hubbell is the former Associate Attorney General of The United States. His novels, When Men Betray, Ginger Snaps, A Game of Inches, The Eighteenth Green, and The East End are published by Beaufort Books and are available online or at your local bookstore. When Men Betray won one of the IndieFab awards for best novel in 2014. Ginger Snaps and The Eighteenth Green won the IPPY Awards Gold Medal for best suspense/thriller. His latest, “Light of Day” will be on the bookstands soon.

3 Comments +

  1. Webster! You and I cannot be anything but polite. Just the way we were raised. I even say “yes ma’am” to the 17 year girl taking my order at McDonalds ha.
    I’m worried about you and you hand. Hope they have been able to help you. Later JRB

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