Peeling Back the Layers

***

Yesterday I was standing in line buying some food at a local cafeteria. Yesterday was Black Friday and there wuz lotsa people. Parking lots were full, drivers noticeably aggressive. 

I said to the young woman running the cash: "how you survivin' this day?" 

She sez: "it's been crazy, but getting thru it." 

I say: "yah, I was just in the mall, people are behaving "hysterically."

She replied with a smile: "I wouldn't use that term, it's sexist."  ... I didn't know what to say. Of course she is right but I wasn't sure if I was being attacked or educated. I had to recall the etymology of the word. I didn't know what to say and not being someone who thinks well on his feet I meekly 'corrected' myself and said: "right, I should say frenetic" ... and then immediately wondered if that term also had a negative past life. I was bound up. My entire meal was spent wondering about what had just transpired.