Respect and Disrespect in Denver

Last evening we arrived in the Denver airport and boarded the shuttle train to the baggage pick-up area. Apparently someone was in the doorway the first time the doors attempted to close.

A recorded message said, "Please stand clear of the doors. You are delaying the departure of this train."

Huh???? Nothing like being dissed by a recorded message!

"Oh, wow," I said to my husband. "Welcome to Denver. Whose brilliant idea do you suppose that was?"

With a smirk, he responded with the name of someone that he knows I think is disrespectful and insensitive.

"Hmmmm....I didn't know her influence extended this far!"

Seriously, wasn't there a better and more polite way to ask a person to remove his carcass from the doorway?

How about, "Please stand clear of the doors, so that the train may proceed."

"Please be sure you are not blocking the doors, so that they will close properly."

"Please allow the doors to close by moving all the way onto the train."

One would think that every attempt would be made to welcome an arriving visitor with a politely worded message.

We retrieved our baggage and found the car rental shuttle.

I noticed during the ride that a young man on the shuttle seemed to be looking at me. I wondered why. If I had been 35 years younger, I would have thought he was admiring my good looks.

When we arrived at the car rental, my husband jumped up, grabbed his suitcase and put it out on the sidewalk first. Before the young man could have even assessed whether my husband would come back to help me, he stepped over to me.

"I'll get your suitcase for you. Is it OK if I sit it right out here on the sidewalk for you?"

Ah...so now I know what he was thinking. "That poor old lady looks tired. I'll give her a hand."

I found myself thinking old lady thoughts.

"Oh, what a nice young man!"

So just in case you care, there is disrespect and respect in Denver.

We humans have a choice as to how we treat each other every day in every city.