When young people decided to replace "You're welcome" with "No problem," I realized I had become uncomfortably curmudgeonly. I wanted to reply, "I don't care if it was a problem or not. No, I hope it was. I said 'thank you' dammit!"
I tried to fix the problem by never thanking a young person. I couldn't do it. It would just come out, and then I would cringe and brace for the improper, lazy response. So I tried to desensitize myself by using their "no problem." I couldn't be sincere. I would say it in a stoner voice, like Tommy Chong. That felt impolite, and I wanted to stab myself.
I had to adapt. It's cool. Everything's awesome. No problem, man.
I tried to fix the problem by never thanking a young person. I couldn't do it. It would just come out, and then I would cringe and brace for the improper, lazy response. So I tried to desensitize myself by using their "no problem." I couldn't be sincere. I would say it in a stoner voice, like Tommy Chong. That felt impolite, and I wanted to stab myself.
I had to adapt. It's cool. Everything's awesome. No problem, man.


