I don’t know at what point the world lost its ability to be respectful. But something happens when passengers get onboard the train. It’s as if they leave their kindness and respect at the door with their luggage.

Our last shift on Tuesday was especially brutal. The passengers were loud and rude.

One particular woman was a thorn in my side all day long.

When I’m serving, I start at the front of the train and work my way to the back. There are up to 83 people on a train car. Obviously this takes me awhile.

I had passed this woman and she wanted nothing. However, her son changed his mind and she decided a few moments later to ask me for a refillable coke gulcher. I told her it’d be a few minutes as I had to go get one. Also she didn’t want anything and I had to move on to other people. Working my way back. Or it gets chaotic.

Of course when the allotted time didn’t meet her expectations she came to voice her displeasure.

“We still haven’t gotten our coke”.

Ok. Well I said it would be a few.

When I finally did get the gulcher and filled it, I went to deliver it to her and she recoiled. “I said no ice”.

This I didn’t know. I didn’t recall her saying this. Also, if this were me, I’d take the coke and simply ask politely the next time for no ice.

Not her. She refused to take it. As if it were poison.

Back I went to dump it out.

When a person pushes me like this, disrespectfully, they are no longer the priority to me. And it’s earned.

She went toe to toe with me several times that day.

This year I’ve noted an uptick in this kind of behavior.

Entitled. Rude. Disrespectful.

It’s as if I’m not a human.

People poke my arm or back when I’m talking to someone else. They wave me down and call me “Mam” or “Hey”. Even though I have a name tag and I introduce myself.

I’ve even been sitting downstairs taking a break and had passengers come down and say, “I know you are taking a break but…”

Right there. I’m taking a break. You’ll be ok for five minutes.

I also don’t know at what point in the world we started needing to be hydrated. Pretty sure I’ve been dehydrated since I was a kid. We definitely didn’t drink water unless it was a quick sip from the hose followed by my parents yelling out the door to turn the water off.

Smh. Ok. I feel better now. lol.

Please calm down. Show some respect and don’t touch your server. Especially to poke at them like they’re some animal.

(This post ended up being therapeutic! 🤪)