The Incredible Politeness Hat

No, it’s not the name of a book, but it would make a good childrens’ book title, wouldn’t it?  Someone get right on that.  In the meantime, I want to write about my own personal politeness hat—it’s a Roots Canadian Olympic “camp hat” or “bucket hat” from the 2004 Games in Athens.  This isn’t it, but it will give you an idea of what I’m talking about:

image

I bought the hat on eBay a few months ago, as I always regretted not buying one when Roots had their fabulous “post-Olympics” clearance sale.  Today I wore it for the first time while I worked in the yard trimming the palm trees, and when Nancy said something to me that I couldn’t hear, I turned to her and asked, “Pardon me?” Now, one of the most irritating things that’s happened to me since I moved to the US is that I’ve gradually stopped saying the very polite, “Pardon me?” and have replaced it with the very American, “What?” I HATE saying “WHAT?”—it sounds so rude, but I can’t help myself.  I really, really miss “Pardon me?”, and apparently I only needed to shroud myself in Canadiana to have it magically come spilling out of my mouth.  Now if it could only make me say “Eh?” again, too, I’d be all set.

I’ve come back to edit this, just to add that it was 25 years ago today ("today" meaning June 10th, despite what this entry is dated), that I saw Terry Fox running down Highway 2 in Oshawa (aka King St.), while I sat on a bus waiting to go to to the mall.  At the mall, I saw him speak a bit, but all I really remember is the visual of him doing his run/hop as he passed by my bus.  Time sure has a way of making you feel old, but at least I’m still alive to complain about it.

Posted by Leigh-Ann on 07/10 at 09:15 PM

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  1. I need a Canadian politeness hat too!  smile

    I surprise myself at times when I realize just how much I have changed since moving here.  I know that I am not as polite as I once was, nor do I speak the same as I once did.

    My husband is originally from the south, and I have found that I have picked up a bit of his accent.  As hard as I try to retain my Canuck roots, I see them slowly fading.  red face  I am overdue for a trip back home!

    Posted by Expat  on  07/11  at  07:59 AM

  2. I’ve developed enunciation issues, i.e., I mumble.  I never mumbled before—I read the news on the radio for many years, and my speech was very exacting.  Now, I think I barely move my lips when I talk.  We’ll all need to go to Canada for a “diction refresher course” one day in the future!

    Posted by Mudpuppy  on  07/11  at  07:45 PM

  3. Hey, Leigh-Ann: I was remembering the conversation the three of us had when I was out there with you and Nancy in June. I have subsequently been overcome with the need to say “pardon me?” --ever since we talked. I would, previously, fall into the inarticualate “What?” or the locally acceptable “Huh?”, prior.  No more. I’ve been returned to the articulate politeness of my youth, thankssmile

    Babe

    Posted by Babe  on  07/11  at  10:36 PM

  4. Heh, I still say “what?” I’m a rude ‘n’ nasty American.

    Posted by Flippy  on  07/12  at  03:20 PM
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