A lesson before turning 20

So while walking a dear family friend and her grandbaby to their car outside of my complex on Sunday, I was bombarded by a young man's voice shouting "Hey! hey! hey! My homeboy wanna holla at you!" while I was proceeding back into my gated community. I said "You're too young for me baby." And kept walking. I got back inside the gate and had to walk past where the young men were playing basketball to get to my house so I said to myself Self, if these young men try to talk to you again, you should let them know that their manner of approaching you is not appropriate Sure enough ... "Hey! Hey! HEY! He wanna holla at you!" So I stopped and pulled the young man over and asked him to have a word with me. I said "How old are you?" He replied, "13." I said, "OK, I'm going to teach you a life lesson. The next time you want to talk to a girl or young lady or what have you, do not yell, 'Hey! Hey!' It's rude. She has a name and I can almost guarantee that it's not 'Hey!' Instead, with those strong lungs of yours, say 'Excuse miss or young lady may I speak with you for a moment or what is your name?'" He says to me "OK." In conclusion of this lesson I said, "Now, I'm 20 years old." (I know I'm not yet but it was the principle of the story that I was trying to get across) And he becomes very apologetic. "It's OK ... just remember what I told you."

Now all you young men take that to heart and heed my words. A little politeness in your tone will get you far in life.