I turn 52 next month. Today the wife and I went to Costco and bought some items including Snapper. When we got home, my wife opened the snapper and immediately said it was no good because it smelled bad. So after less than 10 minutes at home I head back to the store.

The return was simple enough. What was interesting is the 22 to 25-year-old customer service person kept calling me dear. Not one time, at least twice and maybe three or four times in all. I almost said to her that the only person who has ever called me dear in my adult wife is my wife of 23 years. Dear wife's opinion on my experience- I should have said something and if she had been there, dear wife would have.

Not the same but around 30 years ago a woman who worked a 4th floor concession stand at Pompano Park race track used to refer to male customers as 'Sugar', 'Sweets', or other similar words.