Say

The first week of FM’s campaign for campus civility offered somewhat of a mixed bag. On the positive side, more of my own friends are acknowledging me when I see them on the street. Admittedly, many of these hellos came in the form of jeering drunken harangues and one odd e-mail from my ex-girlfriend that simply read “Goodbye Pete, goodbye.” But, for the moment, I’ll take what I can get.

I thought I had my very first unqualified success when Lia, the QuincyHouse checker stopped me in the lunch line and said, “Honey, I saw your picture in the paper today!” That is, until she followed up with “Hi Dave!” This is particularly odd because I’m fairly certain that Lia has addressed me by my proper name before, or at least something vaguely approximating it. I’ve attributed the miscue to the pollack, which was on the lunch menu that day and has sometimes caused me to forget my own name, and I’ve chalked up this hello as a firm victory for campus civility.

I have had somewhat less success in convincing perfect strangers to take the leap and say hello. Upon explaining this dilemma to my mom, she asked why I just didn’t take the initiative and say hi first. My first reaction to this most reasonable observation was to curse my mother and her damned logic in a tearful outburst, much as I did after she suggested my problems securing a date to the junior prom might be remedied by showering on a more regular basis. After collecting myself, though, I decided to do what I do with most of my mother’s well reasoned and loving advice—simply ignore it.

And, so, I renew my pledge to return every hello in kind for yet another week. I will not, however, reciprocate any hello addressed to Dave, Phil, Rick, Bill, Mary or any other four letter word that is not Pete. Well, not unless I’m feeling especially lonely or vulnerable.