Such a Nice Gesture

Last fall, when Patrick Modiano was announced as the winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/2014/modiano-facts.html I mentioned to the Barnes and Noble www.barnesandnoble.com Mystery Book Club that I attend, that we might want to read one of his books, Missing Person http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missing_Person_(novel), which is a mystery of sorts.  Several members of the group had heard of his Nobel Prize and this book, but ultimately, we did not decide to read the book as a group.

I went on line looking for the book, and the price on Alibris and Abebooks was very high.  One of the club members, Debbie, told me to go to Amazon, and I did.  They offered the book a reasonable price.  But then, they kept telling me the order was delayed, and they asked me if I wanted to continue the order, continue to a specific date, or cancel the order.  I decided to continue the order, indefinitely.  We discussed it at the book club, and thought that a new printing would occur, and the book would be available at a reasonable price.  This is exactly what happened.

This week at the Barnes and Noble Mystery Book Club, Debbie had her copy of Missing Person.  She wanted to be sure that I had access to the book. She had not yet read it.  Debbie made such a nice gesture. (I received mine and was about half way through the book)

Later in the meeting, I had to excuse myself to use the restroom.  By the time I returned, the group had disbanded. Suzy was still waiting, because I had left my coat, and a book loaned from another member at the table.

These are really good people who are kind and considerate of other members in the group.  I really appreciate the people in the Barnes and Noble Mystery Book Club in Lubbock.

Changing conventions

I remember when I was on a business trip in Austin, Texas, in the early 1990's.  I worked then, as now, for the State of Texas, and we were ensconced in an upscale hotel that gave the state a rate for employees on business.  At breakfast, I asked the waitress if I could get a diet Coke instead of a coffee.  She was not sure: she had not served diet Coke for breakfast before.  I got my diet Coke.  The next morning, a couple of other patrons asked for soft drinks for breakfast, too.  

Now, it is not unusual in fast food restaurants as well as sit down restaurants to get soft drinks at breakfast. (Truck stops served soft drinks at breakfast for years before this.) So much has changed in our society in the last 20 plus years.

Conventions change.  Our society has become so much less formal over the years. This is not bad, except that we have lost some of the politeness and consideration that went with the formality. Good manners do not require formality.  They just require consideration of other people.  We should not confuse the two.