Me: Hi, how are you? Someone is here to see you.
Staff A: Not good. I am having a very bad day!
* * *
Staff B: Hey there, how are ya?
Staff C: I had to go to the doctor because I thought I might have pneumonia - I've been sick for the past 2 weeks. But don't worry, I don't have pneumonia.
* * *
Staff B: How are you?
Me: Fine. You?
Staff B: I’m kind of stressed. Earlier, when I was in the bathroom peeing, I remembered this dream I had last night. But now I can’t remember it!
Me: Dreams are meaningless.
Staff B: You think so? Because what I do remember while I was in the bath--
Me: It didn’t mean anything.
Staff B: But let me just tell you--
Me: Trying to remember is a waste of time.
Have I been wrong this whole time? “How are you?” in the workplace literally means “How are you?”? This can’t be right.
So I pulled out my trusty “How to Live Like a Lady” book, by Sarah Tomczak, to tell me right from wrong. And, according to Ms. Tomczak, “Forget your aches and pains, the answer to “How are you?” is always “Fine, thank you.”
Yes! I was right!
Ms. Tomczak also says:
- Stand up when others enter the room.
- Smiles are free.
- French-kissing in public, aggressive bedroom behavior, and overhead lighting are considered trashy.
- Being a lady will never go out of style.
Maybe I should compare my thoughts with what Ms. Tomczak would think of my 6 year-old cousin, a fellow lady in training, to get a better understanding of what it means to be a lady.
This is my 6 year-old cousin:
What a smart cookie! I couldn't be more proud of her (even though I don't think Ms. Tomczak would approve).