“How’ve you been?” An acquaintance asked recently as our paths crossed.
“Fine.” I answered without missing a beat. I wasn’t fine. I was getting over a bad cold.
“And you?” I returned the question politely.
“Great!” She responded, and maybe she was and maybe she wasn’t.
Greetings play a big part of our daily lives. Many times a day we utter the phrase, “How’ve ya been?” But how many times do we really mean it? Politeness helps grease the wheels of civilization or so I’ve read. Asking about one’s health and saying please and thank you show an element of caring.
Unfortunately, truth is often ignored by rules of etiquette. I learned this quickly many years ago when someone asked the proverbial “How are you?” and I answered with a description of the painful knot in my neck. “Well, my neck’s got this thing right here….”
I don’t have to go into a long explanation, but let’s just say, a pair of glazed eyes and a mumbled “Gotta go, see you” taught me in no uncertain terms, that people do not want to know how you really are.
I have to admit, on the other hand, that sometimes an honest answer is refreshing.
A perfect example was a recent response given by a local sales clerk.
“How’re you doing today?” I asked with the usual greeting.
“I have no idea,” he responded.
“I’m sorry. What did you say?” I was flabbergasted.
He repeated his answer and when I finally understood enjoyed a good laugh. Since then, I throw out that statement every now and then, just to brighten things up.
Now that the holidays are here, a whole new group of greetings arrive on the scene, and I have to admit it’s more fun telling someone to be merry or happy than it is to ask how they are.
Happy Thanksgiving… that’s easy, but Christmas’s greetings have become much more complicated than in days of yore.
In the past, a cheerful “Merry Christmas” was the standard greeting. Santas at department stores cheerfully called “ Ho… ho… ho… Merr y Christmas.” Movies and TV shows chirped out “Merry Christmas.”
Not anymore. Political correctness has crept into the scene and a variety of greetings are used. I’ve been hailed with “Happy Holidays…Season’s Greetings and Happy Solstice” and they’re all fine, but I’m old school and reply with “Merry Christmas!”
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