Respect Is Learned Before It Is Earned

(I am a teenage passenger on a public bus and there is an older gentleman talking so loudly on his cell phone that he’s drowning out my music player. I talk to the driver, who’s clearly just as annoyed by the man as the rest of us are.)

Me: “He’s being really loud. Is there anything you can do about it?”

Driver: “I would, but I’ve already been written up twice this week because rude customers complained about me telling them off; one more and I lose my job. I can’t take the chance.”

Me: “Okay, no problem…”

(I go over and stand in front of the rude passenger who’s still on his phone.)

Rude Passenger: *to his phone* “…KIDS ARE SO RUDE THESE DAYS! THEY HAVE NO RESPECT FOR THEIR ELDERS!”

Me: “Excuse me, sir.”

(He ignores me and keeps talking. I decide enough is enough, and I snatch the phone from him and turn it off before handing it back to him.)

Me: “First off, it’s rude to ignore someone when they address you. Second, it’s really disrespectful to be so loud in a public space; I couldn’t even hear my music over your griping. Maybe you wouldn’t have so much to complain about if you set a better example.”

(He was quiet for the entire rest of the trip, and the driver gave me a free all-day pass!)

This story is part of the People Who Should Get Off Their Phones roundup!

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