Someone was mentioning in the lunch room about how rude people have become lately, and was wondering if the newsroom was running a story on it. The problem was that rude behavior is so rampant that it has just become another thing we just deal with and move forward.

From children to drivers to sales and customer service people, it seems that rude is the way to go.

When I had moved to Tampa about five years ago, you could see a wave of a hand as a thank you gesture if you let someone cut in front of you on the road. Gradually, the number of such nice gestures has been replaced by the flip of the finger, sharp honking etc.

We hear of road rage and learn how not to react to an uncivil driver. We learn to be civil when we call for customer service and are met by rudeness. We learn to hold our tongues when we encounter angry customers calling.

There is no excuse for being rude, it just leaves a bad taste in the mouth and ruins someone’s perfectly good day.

Most of us want to live in a civil environment in peace. It is not too difficult to think before one speaks; it saves a lot of aggression and anguish.

I just know that what goes around comes around, and if it is rudeness going around then it doesn’t make for a good return package.