Man, Karen would have a hard time around here. Waitresses here don't know how to address people without throwing in a Hon, Sweetheart, Darlin' or Sweetie. Nobody takes offense to it when a waitress does it, matter of fact they get it right back.
It comes from more than waitresses. And it is said in a manner that is endearing and sweet. Sort of makes you feel like one of the crowd. An artifact of a kinder, gentler society.
Yup, I get it from waitresses, staff, clerks, women I bump carts with in the store, pretty much everybody in general. Ain't no gender misidentification here.
It's common where I now live (but not where I grew up). I still like to play - say, with a cashier - and say, "ma'am, we hardly know each other...it's MISTER sweetie!"
Have to remember that one, Anon. I usually sat, "It's nice to know there are still places you can call somebody 'Hon' and not get sent to Human Resources."
My wife called me at work and asked me to pick up a burger and fries for her on the way home. Shortly after I delivered her request, she stomped over to me with the receipt from the bag and said "I think this is yours", then stomped off. On the receipt someone had written "Hi cutie".
When a cashier asks for my phone number (for the register) I follow up with, "Won't your husband/boyfriend be jealous?" Or, "Only if you promise not to call be after hours."
Radio Shack flashback. I had memorized their HQ phone number and would give it after reading online that people were doing that. It seemed preferable to messing with a dim-witted cashier who probably wasn't working there because he wanted to be.
There's a local pet store that asks for a phone number. It doesn't bother me because we're on good terms. I'd love to use your line but I'm at an age where it might be weird to be seen as flirting with the cute 19 year old cashier.
I feel for the husband in this instance. Being in a relationship with an insecure person is just not fun.
Heh. Reminds me of a story a cop told me when I lived in GA. Where I used to live in Northwest Georgia, the culture is (or was) for people to pull over to the side of the road when a funeral procession came down the road and wait for it to pass, even if there are multiple lanes. One day, a funeral procession was going down a four lane road, and a car zipped by them in the left lane. The cop who was at the back of the line of cars got out and pulled the car over. There was a young middle aged female in the car.
Woman: "Why'd you pull me over? I wasn't speeding." Cop: "Ma'am, you passed the funeral procession. You're supposed to pull over and let it go by." Woman: "That's silly. We don't do that in New Jersey." Cop: "Ma'am, this isn't New Jersey. Here's your citation."
He wrote her a ticket for careless driving. I knew the district court judge. She grew up around there, and there was no way it would be successfully appealed.
I sued to go to a gas station where the older southern lady clerk called everyone "hun, sweetie, sug etc" We all know the difference between that and flirting. Maybe that wife already knew her husband was a lout.
Walked into one of my favorite places with wife, waitress greeted me with a "Hi, sweetie." I smiled an nodded, wife asks what that was about. I says she just wondered if I wanted sweet tea. Got sticky when she came to table and asked what I wanted to drink Daryl
I read a column a while back, by some NYC type who decided to tour the South to see what people were really like. He was impressed by how friendly people were; kindly telling him, "Bless your heart." And the waitresses were so flirtatious with their "Honey," "Sweetie," and the like.
Way, way, way back, I found the wife's hair-trigger jealousy to be rather endearing and flattering. After 40 years of that shite, not so mucho. I can't even smile at a cashier in her presence without enduring the loudest silent treatment known to womankind all the way home.
And "At My Age", they think it's cute when I call them something like that! Fun to flirt at age 72!
ReplyDeleteHi Kenny!!!!,
ReplyDelete'Have ta' say... 'that's funny!!" ......
skybill
It comes from more than waitresses. And it is said in a manner that is endearing and sweet. Sort of makes you feel like one of the crowd. An artifact of a kinder, gentler society.
ReplyDeleteYup, I get it from waitresses, staff, clerks, women I bump carts with in the store, pretty much everybody in general.
DeleteAin't no gender misidentification here.
The word don't is missing an apostrophe.
ReplyDeleteIt's common where I now live (but not where I grew up). I still like to play - say, with a cashier - and say, "ma'am, we hardly know each other...it's MISTER sweetie!"
ReplyDeleteHave to remember that one, Anon. I usually sat, "It's nice to know there are still places you can call somebody 'Hon' and not get sent to Human Resources."
DeleteMy wife called me at work and asked me to pick up a burger and fries for her on the way home. Shortly after I delivered her request, she stomped over to me with the receipt from the bag and said "I think this is yours", then stomped off. On the receipt someone had written "Hi cutie".
ReplyDeleteWhen a cashier asks for my phone number (for the register) I follow up with, "Won't your husband/boyfriend be jealous?" Or, "Only if you promise not to call be after hours."
ReplyDeleteEvil Franklin
Radio Shack flashback. I had memorized their HQ phone number and would give it after reading online that people were doing that. It seemed preferable to messing with a dim-witted cashier who probably wasn't working there because he wanted to be.
DeleteThere's a local pet store that asks for a phone number. It doesn't bother me because we're on good terms. I'd love to use your line but I'm at an age where it might be weird to be seen as flirting with the cute 19 year old cashier.
I feel for the husband in this instance. Being in a relationship with an insecure person is just not fun.
Must have been a Yankee in a southern restaurant. They don't know our ways.
ReplyDeleteMy thought exactly.
DeleteJpaul
Heh. Reminds me of a story a cop told me when I lived in GA. Where I used to live in Northwest Georgia, the culture is (or was) for people to pull over to the side of the road when a funeral procession came down the road and wait for it to pass, even if there are multiple lanes. One day, a funeral procession was going down a four lane road, and a car zipped by them in the left lane. The cop who was at the back of the line of cars got out and pulled the car over. There was a young middle aged female in the car.
DeleteWoman: "Why'd you pull me over? I wasn't speeding."
Cop: "Ma'am, you passed the funeral procession. You're supposed to pull over and let it go by."
Woman: "That's silly. We don't do that in New Jersey."
Cop: "Ma'am, this isn't New Jersey. Here's your citation."
He wrote her a ticket for careless driving. I knew the district court judge. She grew up around there, and there was no way it would be successfully appealed.
Folks here also pull over for funeral processions.
DeleteI sued to go to a gas station where the older southern lady clerk called everyone "hun, sweetie, sug etc"
ReplyDeleteWe all know the difference between that and flirting.
Maybe that wife already knew her husband was a lout.
Same here. The women folk throw a smile in their words.
ReplyDeleteWalked into one of my favorite places with wife, waitress greeted me with a "Hi, sweetie." I smiled an nodded, wife asks what that was about. I says she just wondered if I wanted sweet tea. Got sticky when she came to table and asked what I wanted to drink
ReplyDeleteDaryl
That’s a woman with serious insecurity issues. I hope that guy ditches her before it’s too late.
ReplyDeleteI read a column a while back, by some NYC type who decided to tour the South to see what people were really like. He was impressed by how friendly people were; kindly telling him, "Bless your heart." And the waitresses were so flirtatious with their "Honey," "Sweetie," and the like.
ReplyDeleteAnd you know the husband caught all kinds of shit for not correcting the waitress.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'd bet a $1 that bitch hasn't called him "Sweetheart" in years.
ReplyDelete- WDS
Dump the bitch, date the waitress. What kind of D bag gets upset about that. She needs to go. Imagine what she's like at home, lol
ReplyDeleteIn the Carolinas you hear "love" used a lot by waitresses, especially if they're black.
ReplyDelete62279, Renault, IL Zip Code Southwestern, Illinois. Sounds about right. Down from Chicago
ReplyDeletedb in Knox Co.
“Bless your heart” is generally an insult meaning something along the lines of, are you F-ing stupid?
ReplyDeleteWay, way, way back, I found the wife's hair-trigger jealousy to be rather endearing and flattering. After 40 years of that shite, not so mucho. I can't even smile at a cashier in her presence without enduring the loudest silent treatment known to womankind all the way home.
ReplyDelete