By Randall Jobe

Of the 72.1 million Millennials living in the United States, I am fervently looking for any two, any day in the workforce who extend what for the generations before was considered “common courtesy.” Seriously, you sullen-faced, non-communicative, emoji-crazy, semi slackers, would it kill you to take a little pride in your minimum-waged job sacking groceries at Whole Foods or refolding clothes at the Gap and make the decision to greet a customer with actual words of greeting! If you say “Please” and “Thank you” you get bonus credit! e

Of course, adding insult to injury, you frequently commit the ultimate crime against the consumer. After being met by your initial silence, you force said consumer to throw out a sharp “Thank you,” to which you deal a condescending “No problem.”  

“No problem?” 

OK, you socially inept, entitled little turd, to even consider that there was a “problem,” and you in your infinite powers of forgiveness have decided to absolve me somewhere between throwing cage-free eggs in a bag while forgetting to remove the security tag from my sweater purchase sets my hair on fire! 

“No problem” is the appropriate response as you move your laptop from the second table you’ve commandeered to set up your virtual office in Starbucks when someone asks to sit.  

Now, as the Millennials age out, we’re awarded with Gen-Xers, right on their heels. Though they seemingly have stronger social conscious, like concern for the planet, feeding the hungry and protesting in the streets (hello ’50s, ’60s and ’70s) I pray that the adage that some traits “skip a generation” applies. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to see lack of manners fall to the wayside along with male pattern baldness and promiscuity. Not likely, but one can dream.  

Of course, that’s just my opinion.