Common Courtesy

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I work as a deckhand at a ferry company and I often have to deal with many rude commuters, workers and summer people (thank God summer is over). There has something that has been bothering me and that is how customers think they can get away with treating employees like crap. I know "the customer is always right" and we're supposed to be nice and helpful but it just seems like customers take advantage of this too far. I see people that go out to dinner and nice attractive families going across the boats and some of these people barely say a word to you or even acknowledge your existence. I feel like saying to them "How are you married with kids?! You don't deserve them!" or "If it weren't for me you wouldn't be going to your fancy pants dinner party right now." It just seems like some NTs are worse than Aspies like me. Anyone else agree?

To play devil's advocate for a moment, although I don't travel on ships often, I might not talk to you either. Not to be rude, but because if you were going about your business, I'd feel I was imposing upon you. Especially since I hate all that "smile for the tourist crap," I wouldn't want to bother a busy deckhand with a hollow "hello."

I was taught years ago to say howdy to everyone and to say it with something resembling a smile. And when driving to give a polite wave at just about everyone.

It's so ingrained in me by now that I would really have to fight myself not to say howdy. I even regularly say hello to dogs, cats, horses, cattle, ..., and I often wave at them while driving. And around here, nearly everyone says hello or waves back whether you said hello or waved at them or not.

It's all about trying to fit in and be accepted.