Hello Ain't Hard

A couple of questions to my sistas: 1) Is every brotha that speaks to you in public tryna holler? and 2) Is it that hard to smile and say hi in return? I know a lot of you are used to being "hit on" every day, and I can imagine it can get old real quick when the catch phrase that keeps coming out of brothas mouths is, "Hey Shawty!!", or "What's up ma?!" These overused salutations can turn even the most friendly, naive, "green" sistas into suspicious, worldly, street-smart divas. Spring is here and Summer is soon approaching, and as the clothes get skimpier and skimpier, you are sure to hear many more, "Hey Shawty's!!" But women, listen out for the occasional, "Hello", or the equally cordial "You look nice today." OK, I admit that the aforementioned, "You look nice today." can easily turn into, "Can I call you sometime?" Maybe all of this lack of civility is indicative of the broader society, and maybe it's not just something that sistas do to brothas. I can't count the number of times, for example that I've spoken to some of my black brethren, and they act like they have cotton balls in their ears, or like a cat has got their tongue!! It's gotten to the point where I barely want to speak, and I am an affable, friendly person by nature. However, I pick and choose when I speak now. I actually get nervous in the split second that it takes before deciding whether to speak to someone. Because few things get my blood boiling more than speaking to someone, only to get the GASFACE in return!! Whether it be men or women, I guess not speaking is the sign of the times: Sadly, people just aren't as friendly as they used to be.