The days of forelock-tugging have returned  Whether you blame
the class system or the coalition, rude customers in shops and
restaurants are bringing back the 'upstairs, downstairs' spirit
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Abbey: 'Too many people are thrilled to find someone below them,
upon whom they may crap.' Photograph: Nick Briggs/ITV  Last
week's palaver about the rude customer on the mobile, the brave
cashier and the weedy-wet employer reminded me of my days as a
waitress in a fairly poncey restaurant. What an eye-opener it
was. I arrived in a cheery mood, ready to be pleasant and
obliging, but noticed that all the other waitresses were pissy-
faced and monosyllabic when dealing with customers. What was
wrong with them, I wondered. Why so insolent?  I found out
within hours. The customers were so staggeringly rude, issuing
orders, not requests: "What's this/that? One of these. Where's
my whatever?" Not a single please, thank you or smile from these
puffed-up little snoo