I’ve heard people say that New Yorkers are the rudest people on the planet. They bump and jostle you as they rush past you and don’t even have the courtesy to apologize or say “excuse me.”
I have poor equilibrium, so as people crowded around me, I bumped into them. Being a polite Cincinnatian, I said, “Excuse me.” I probably said it four or five times to several different people. No one answered me. And people bumped into me, only they didn’t apologize. That’s when I came to a realization. Because New York City is soooo crowded, people bump into each other. It’s a part of their life. They’re used to it. They bump into others. Others bump into them. There’s no need to apologize. That’s just how life is. The moment I realized that, I quit apologizing. After all, I was in New York City.
As we walked into an even more congested area, Pastor Ron, the missionary we were there to serve, bumped into me. He promptly apologized. I said, “No need to apologize. After all, this is New York City.” He laughed and said, “That is so true.”