Thank You

I got off the bus at my stop on the way home.  Just ahead of me was a group of about 6 teenagers talking and joking together ... and filling the pavement.  As I got nearer, one young man stepped to one side to let me past.  I smiled at him and said 'Thank you'.  I passed them and went on my way but the youth, almost as an afterthought said in a loud voice 'Thank you for saying 'thank you''.  That was nice, I thought. 

As I walked on I began to think about the small incident.  First of all I was reminded that not all teenagers are a problem and just because they enjoy hanging out together does not mean that they are up to no good.  Just because a few give problems doesn't mean that I should distrust all of them.  A timely lesson for me.

Saying 'thank you' is something I do almost automatically - it's the way we were brought up.  And then I thought of the fact that the young man thanked me for thanking him as though he didn't expect it.  Is that a sad reflection, I wondered, on the fact that many people nowadays never think to say 'thank you' for a small kindness?  I have heard it said in assertiveness training courses that we shouldn't keep saying things like 'thank you' and 'sorry' as this shows submissiveness rather than assertiveness.  I just call it good manners and respect for others.  Or maybe I'm just old fashioned and a bit behind the times.