Hate to brag, folks, but nobody has it better than me...

[NattheCaregiver]

Recently got on part-time caring for young C4 male quad in his 20's. I was a little apprehensive, just hoping we would match up, and it would be a good experience for us both. Ok, we are a match made in heaven and I don't know how it happened. Guy lives in the city, of course, so I have to commute, but I learn that he is from a super small town like myself and we have a lot of common ground.

He's ultra-polite, calls me ma'am all the time, and asks for things in such a sweet, polite way. Didn't think I'd be his first choice, middle-aged lady with kids and everything, but he seems eager to chat and seems cool with it all. In the back of my mind I'm half-way waiting for something to change, like hey, nobody's this damn nice, but I do think this is likely to work out long-term, which would be great.

And no, by all means, I'm not trying to say folks have to be over-the-top polite or that it has to be a perfect situation for me to stay on or anything. All that to say, when the ideal situation does come along, dang, you just have to be grateful, and I am, I really am.

Just have to work on the dude, get him to loosen up and call me by my first name, but hey, if that's his comfort zone, it's totally cool. Really great experience, just had to share.

[Treeza04]

WOOT WOOT glad you found something/someone that fits! Hope it continues !

[Patrick Madsen]

Congrats on finding a reasonable person to work with. Some people have good manners adn seems this young man has them. I find things go well when treating a person with respect and gratitude doing a job that requires patience and diligence.

You made my day knowing things worked out so far; I know you were apprehensive at first.

[NattheCaregiver]

Thanks, y'all, and we did get the ma'am thing worked out. The boy fears that his mother would find out if he didn't address me that way, travel the 8+ hours it takes to get to him, and slap some sense into him. So, he will continue to call me that, and I will continue to be ok with it, lol.

[graybeard]

I am 62...and I still call women I meet each day "ma'am". My mom drilled that into my hard noggin a half-century ago, and its a lesson not forgotten! When a lady gets aggervated with me, I tell them to go argue with my mom -and she's been up and gone some time now - so good luck with that!

But very groovy ya'll are working out well.

[NattheCaregiver]

graybeard Understood! No worries, I won't attempt to undo the lesson. It's much appreciated on my end!

[SCI-Nurse]

I think it is pretty much a "Southern Thing". (KLD)

[Patrick Madsen]

I live in Washington State and call women Mam when called for. May be the strict Catholic upbringing and early lessons on using the pronouns mam and sir

[NattheCaregiver]

Patrick Madsen lol, I grew up in a strict, Catholic, and low-income household myself. We may not have had everything, but by golly, Mom was going to make sure we had our manners. If you grew up Catholic and/or poor, you might consider reading Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt. My favorite book ever.

Update on the young quad: He may be loosening up a little. Says Ms. Natalie instead of ma'am sometimes, lol.