the golden rule may not just be bullshit

so i returned to work today after my lovely four-day weekend celebrating the festival of pesach, and even though i had a two-hour long "meeting" with the higher-ups giving me "constructive" criticism, i still somehow maintained my new positive attitude. so when i sat down at the information desk i was polite to the patrons who asked me questions. and then, and this part is the shocker, they were nice back to me. whoa.

i was even nice to this little old lady that always comes in, who i will refer to as dottie, since she is losing her mind. dottie is 92. dottie used to be a school teacher. she tells me this every time she comes in. every time. then she will ask me about information which i consider to be common knowledge, but she will act as though i am not intelligent or educated enough to know what she is referring to. like this:

dottie: i am looking for information on this group ...
me: what group is that?
dottie: well, they may not be a group. they may be considered an organization.
me: okay, what organization?
dottie: well, they do alot of work for the rights of MANKIND. they have an acronym (long pause for dramatic effect). they're called the A ... C ...
me: the ACLU? the American Civil Liberties Union?
dottie: yes, the ACLU. i believe it stands for the American Civil Liberties Union.
me: yeah. i just said that.
dottie: you see, the ACLU does a lot of work for civil rights ...
me: yeah. i know who the ACLU are. you want information on them?
dottie: the ACLU also does alot for the rights of women too, and for african americans ..... (and on and on until you want to take a gun to you head.)
little does dottie know that not only do i know what the ACLU is, but i once went to one of their functions where I MET ARTHUR MILLER! i even shook his hand. i have photographic evidence. but anyway, little miss dottie came in today and i was sweet as punch to her and then in return she was nice to me and then left me alone fairly quickly. and leaving me alone quickly is one of the greatest gifts a patron can give me. so maybe being nice to people is a good thing. maybe.