Sometimes I wish we lived in a world with a inch more class and a smidgen more gentility.

I wish people still tried to disguise their leftovers cleverly. I wish people knew not to ever bring a half drunken bottle of anything over to a dinner not hosted by a family member without a certain irony or shame.

I wish they didn't have to tell me all about the dirty laundry details of their day when settling on 7pm.

I wish they excused themselves from the table, only took calls and texts of the utmost importance when at a social engagement of any kind, and knew to acknowledge every person in the group. Even if that person was ugly or awkward.

I wish they rsvp'd with the actual number attending. I wish they knew which events called for prompt vs. fashionably late.

I wish they knew to not wear underwear as outerwear.

I wish they knew how to conjugate.

In the same vein, I am glad no one seems to care about the proper way to set a table anymore. Or that my brastrap is showing. I cringe every time a close friend says goodbye to me the way they would to their great aunt, and treasure the infrequency. I am happy we do not have to send thank you notes for every old thing. I am pleased
to have text messaging as an option over actual conversation. I love repurposing.

I just wish we would begin to level off towards a new gentility. One that allows a freedom that disposes with certain old school morays, while still maintains a certain shine, a certain presentation. Because I think some formalities exist to communicate respect, if others, perhaps, are just there to put us in our place.

Mostly I just wish people we more honestly thoughtful, and considered the subtext of their words and behaviors.