[Tobra]

I don't dig the corporate script stuff so much. I really don't like it when I call some business, they ask for my name, then start calling me by my first name. Depending on the context, I will call them on it. You don't have to be a professional to act like one. More than once, I have told them that my friends call me Toby, you may call me sir or doctor.

That may sound bad, but I am also of the opinion that it does not cost anything extra to be nice, consequently, I am polite and nice. This is apparently fairly rare and surprising to some.

I went out to dinner at Scoma's in Sausalito on Sunday night, I recommend it highly, BTW. There was a woman with her elderly mother in a wheelchair. If you have ever been to Scoma's, you know it is a tiny little place. The woman had left one of the foot rests for the WC swung out to the side, with that foot on the ground and was trying to back out. I stopped her, lifted the little old lady's leg out of the way and locked the footrest in position, then put her foot on it. They thanked me and went on their way. Finished dinner, and got out front before the rest of my party. Two women that had been sitting at the next table were waiting outside, impressed that I had helped the lady and her daughter, the blonde one chatting me up pretty aggressively. She seemed to be quite disappointed when I told her sorry, I am married. I don't think she hears "no" all that often. It was really no big deal to help those people, I figured anyone would, but I guess maybe not.