miss manners

growing up, i was taught manners. please and thank you, the use of the word lavatory, to always put a napkin in your lap, offering a hand to the elderly, etc.

now, it's custom to say "hey, how are you?" when you see someone you know. and when i'm asked, i respond with "great" or "fine" or "doing well," plus i ask how they are doing. because it's the nice thing to do. plus, i'd like to know- that's what friends/colleagues/mortal enemies do. but what i've noticed lately is it isn't customary anymore for people to actually respond. it's like, "oh, you took the time to ask, but i don't have time to respond. but thanks for asking, i'll just stare off into the distance as i address this inter-office envelope, and then go ask how your cubemate is doing before i give him cold shoulder, too. " only they don't say this, they telepathically burn it into your brain all while smiling a sweet sacchrin grin. but i can still see the green antennas slyly bobbypinned into their weaves.