BUDDY...PAL....HON...WTF!!!

My friends:
Today, a pet peeve of mine.

Have you ever been in a diner or restaurant and the waitress calls you hon? You know..."Here you go, hon." Or, "What can I get for you, hon?" The first couple of times you hear it, you're like, "She just called me hon. Is she flirting with me? Can I get a free dessert out of this?" After a while, or after a couple of visits to eateries where the waitress calls you "hon" you realizie it's just something people say instead of sir or madam. When it happens in a restaurant, I don't even give it a second thought. I figure the person is just trying to esablish a familiarity or show friendliness.

HOWEVER......
Recently, I've had dealings with an Insurance Agent who is young and, apparently, just starting out in the business. He often finishes his sentences with, "Okay Buddy?"

Buddy? What the freak is that? Are we friends? No. Do we hang out or something? No. So what makes you think it's okay to call me Buddy? It irks the shit out of me when people act in an unprofessional manner when trying to sell me something or do some kind of business with me. Buddy? Hey, Buddy THIS mofo. Okay? Do I call you dude? When you're trying to do business with me you may call me Sir, Mr. Tollerton, or Len. Buddy? I think NOT!

Which brings me to Pal. Several years ago, I did banking at Trustco Bank on Wolf Rd. in Colonie. There was a teller there by the name of James Vedder, who, while training, and then when he was working on his own, had the annoying habit of calling men Pal. Why are you calling me pal? Are you hoping we're going to establish a friendship and go get a couple of beers together? Are you looking for me to join your hoop team? (Unlikely)

Look, you are in a business where you are in front of the public representing a (supposedly) respectable comapny. How about trying to act in a professional manner and not call the nice customers Buddy, Pal, or Dude. You make yourself look like a dope or a dope smoker. Generally there's nothing wrong with that. Unfortunately, I'm NOT yourBuddy, I'm NOT your Pal, and if we're doing business, I'm definitely NOT Dude. Most of the time I AM Dude. Just not when we're doing business. Got it? Jesus Freakin' Christ, I'm going to smack the next assbag who calls me one of these "endearing" names when they're trying to sell me something or I'm attempting to do some banking.

On second thought, I think I'll just ask them to leave my house, or I'll turn around and leave their establishment so I don't have to put up with that. We ain't friends, we're not familiar, STOP doing it. You know that LEN IS RIGHT, don't you?

BEST OF LUCK AND A SPEEDY RETURN
Mike Wesoloski is a guy I was friends with when I was a teenager. Our sons are on the same bowling team. Mike is in the National Guard and his unit just found out a couple of weeks ago that they'll be shipping off to War in April. He will probably not return till February. His story is no different from the thousands of American soldiers who have been sent over to the Middle East to fight Mr. Bush's WAR of EGO.

Mike, keep your head low, stay safe and return home to you wife and son and daughter as quickly as possible. Until then, you will be in our thoughts and prayers. May good luck be on your side, and may the Congress bring you home safely, before your term is up. Be well.

Peace to you all.
I am,
Len Tollerton