"No Problem"
|
By Garrison.phillips May 27, 2010, 7:32 am |
Grumble, grumble. Please, someone tell me - where did this obnoxious phrase originate? I pay for my groceries at the market, say ‘thank you’ to the checkout clerk who has just dumped my change in a clump in my hand (and whatever happened to counting out change back to a customer??? Grumble, again.) The clerk responds, not to me but to the next customer, the wall or the room at large - ‘No problem.’ What does that mean and whatever happened to ‘thank you?’
The other day I finally ‘lost it’ a bit with an apparently young girl who responded to my questioning of my Verizon account. As so often happens, I was having difficulty understanding her due to my acute hearing loss. Also, it seems so many young folks mumble, or are on a speaker phone or don’t talk directly into the receiver. At any rate, I explained that I had a hearing loss and requested that she please speak more slowly. Her response was ‘no problem.’ That day the phrase just hit me the wrong way and I said, ‘Miss, I beg your problem but it is a very serious problem with me.‘ Again, she repeated, ‘No problem.‘ I then explained, with a bit of passion, that I was a Korean War veteran which is where my hearing loss began and that her response was discourteous to a veteran, lacked understanding of a serious problem with many seniors and was, frankly, rude. There was a short silence from her and then she asked if I wished to speak with a supervisor. I said ‘no’ - I didn’t want to make the occasion a mark against her performance so I simply thanked her and said I would call back another time.
Friends of mine have also complained of the over use of this awful phrase. So, please - where did it originate and should I begin a campaign to educate the younger generation as to the inappropriate usage of this vulgar expression? Okay, I’m kidding about the education part but am I alone in despising this phrase? Your response will be welcomed.
Thanks a heap.
The other day I finally ‘lost it’ a bit with an apparently young girl who responded to my questioning of my Verizon account. As so often happens, I was having difficulty understanding her due to my acute hearing loss. Also, it seems so many young folks mumble, or are on a speaker phone or don’t talk directly into the receiver. At any rate, I explained that I had a hearing loss and requested that she please speak more slowly. Her response was ‘no problem.’ That day the phrase just hit me the wrong way and I said, ‘Miss, I beg your problem but it is a very serious problem with me.‘ Again, she repeated, ‘No problem.‘ I then explained, with a bit of passion, that I was a Korean War veteran which is where my hearing loss began and that her response was discourteous to a veteran, lacked understanding of a serious problem with many seniors and was, frankly, rude. There was a short silence from her and then she asked if I wished to speak with a supervisor. I said ‘no’ - I didn’t want to make the occasion a mark against her performance so I simply thanked her and said I would call back another time.
Friends of mine have also complained of the over use of this awful phrase. So, please - where did it originate and should I begin a campaign to educate the younger generation as to the inappropriate usage of this vulgar expression? Okay, I’m kidding about the education part but am I alone in despising this phrase? Your response will be welcomed.
Thanks a heap.