Ma'am?

Most women in the Midwest dislike the term "ma'am." Especially if recipients of this term are under the age of 60. And even then, I wonder if they reeally like it. There's just something about it... Something old-ladyish and too respectful... Something really not "Midwest" at all.

This evening I returned home with my arms full, and a guy who couldn't have been that much older than me held the vator for me. I thought it was a nice gesture since up until this point, I was the only one in the entire building that had proven to hold doors of any kind for anyone.

I went to punch my floor and saw it was already lit. Aha! A floor-mate. I quickly started to put doors with people's faces together and determined he must be the Italian who ordered pizza often enough and listened to sports programming all the time. Upon disembarking onto our floor, I told him to have a nice evening. The same sort of thing I would tell anyone with whom I shared an elevator (and floor).

His response: "You too, ma'am."

It literally stopped me in my tracks. MA'AM? Surely, he must've been joking. At least that's what I told myself. But I turned around and he was going about his business, fitting his key into the lock of the door of the Italian man who orders pizza frequently enough. It was him, and he is a ma'am-caller. Ugh.

I understand the respect thing, but really, ma'am...to me?? He's, like, my age (or thereabouts)! Talk about too formal and way off-putting! I sure hope he doesn't throw that term around at the bars.

I have been inspecting the gray hairs and searching for crows feet or wrinkles ever since. Ma'am. I am so sure.