Can someone please tell me why people say things, as well-intentioned as they may be, without really thinking about what exactly it is that they're saying? While eating lunch at a restaurant today I overheard a conversation between the cashier and a customer. It was all friendly banter while he was paying his bill... you know, just small talk about nothing in particular. I really wasn't listening that closely...really! What did catch my attention, however, was his parting statement... "Have a good day! Be careful!" Be careful? Doing what, standing behind the cash register taking money and sliding credit cards through the machine? Watch out for those paper cuts! Now maybe he knew the young lady and was privy to information about some death-defying adventure that she would be partaking in after work - my guess is, not so much.
I hear statements like this all the time. I know I've been guilty of walking into a hospital room to visit a friend or family member after they've just had some kind of life or death surgery and asking the mindless question, "How are you feeling?" Well, duh!
There are many reasons these phrases may come flying out of our mouths. Sometimes, I think people just feel like they need to fill dead space with some kind of verbal acknowledgement when maybe a simple smile would do. Other times these things just slip out in awkward situations. And there have been many times when, at least in my experience, these things just fly out and I find myself thinking about how little sense what I just said actually makes!
Anyone have any stories to share?
Everybody be careful out there in cyberspace!
1 comment:
I've noticed that sometimes people, southerners especially, have a little "trademark saying" that they will throw in when they think it is appropriate. It doesn't matter what the occasion calls for, its just their trademark, like "Stay between the lines," or "See ya in the funny papers," but it certainly is cause for intrigue and wonder. As in, do you have your trademark because it is just the easiest way to get in the last word and you don't have to think any more? I wonder -
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