Excuse Who?

Warning, this is going to be a rant on one of my pet peeves.

OK, here it is. It's a big one. OK, maybe not. But it still irks me.

Since when did it become OK for someone to bump into you and say "excuse you" instead of "excuse me?"

This is a trend I've noticed sporadically over the last several years. Primarily with younger kids. And it has always bothered me. It doesn't seem too much to ask someone to say excuse me.

In fact, I think I'd rather be ignored than to have someone tell me "excuse you". It sounds a lot like "watch it bud" or even "get the f* out of the way" to me. Even if I'm in your way, "excuse me" is just a polite way to let me know.

Anyway, the latest example came this weekend when I was in the local Kroger picking up some last minute items for Christmas dinner. Twice when I was walking down the aisles a high school kid jumped in front of me with a quick "excuse you" to grab what they needed. I quietly decried the demise of the current generation and noted how I would never have done such a thing 20 years ago. Boy I can't wait until I get old and have an excuse to be a crusty old man!

And then came the kicker. As I waited in line at the registers, a 40-ish housewife in the line next to me came up, reached over my cart with a quick "excuse you", grabbed the latest National Enquirer, and proceeded to read about Britney's latest marraige problems as I looked at her in stunned silence.

"Merry Christmas," said the teenage cashier smiling broadly, "Did you find everything alright today?"

Ah, my faith in mankind was restored once again.