Common courtesy - dead or just napping?

Really, where has it gone?

For instance...the other day on the train. With the soaring gas prices people have finally left their single passenger cars at home and opted for mass transit (about time! but I digress), making everything quite full. A very pregnant woman got on the train and ended up having to stand the entire way, while a mid-to-late 20s, professionally dressed bozo sat on his skinny butt listening to his iPod. "Didn't see her?" you say. Only if he was blind (which he wasn't), as her belly was practically in his face!* Who raised these people?!?

I can't tell you how many times I struggle through building doors with a stroller while professional people walk on by, not bothering to help in the least. My darling CiBaby even knows to hold the door for a mama (as shown today, I guess I'm doing something right!)

Then today someone stole the nice lunch I had put together for T-Daddy last night...roast beef with cheddar on whole wheat, veggie sticks and homemade herb dip...all in nice real Tupperware containers and a brand new thermal lunch bag. Apparently this has become an all too often occurrence in his office since a new contractor came to "help" them out. So tomorrow, he's brown bagging it, literally. And me and my somewhat...ahem...quirky humor has decided to write a note...

I hope someone gets the message. Who steals peoples/coworkers' lunches?!

Or the people that leave their dog's droppings on the sidewalk or someone else's yard. That really chaps my hide.

And where have the pleases, thank yous and pardon mes gone?!? My 2 year-old even says all of those things at the appropriate times and mostly without prompting (the pardon mes are a bit harder for her to understand, but we're getting there), unless you're a stranger, then she gets a wee bit tongue tied...but you'll get a wave and a smile!

I really don't think common courtesy is dead as it pops its head up occasionally, but none too often.

As in Pay it Forward, I challenge you...for every nice thing someone does for you, return that favor 3 fold to others. I believe something this small could make our world a kinder and gentler place for us to raise children and just live.

*T-Daddy would have given the woman his seat, if he'd had one.