Common sense is not that common

From an early age my parents made sure I had basic social skills and common sense. Things like murdering is bad, stealing is bad, a smile goes a long way, don't be rude to people you don't know are a few of the items on the 'common sense' list. But as you get older, you learn that what is common sense to you, might not be to others. Maybe they didn't have good parents, maybe they had a bad education or maybe they just don't get it. For whatever reason, common sense is not always that common.

There is an item on the list that up until recently I thought was part of everyone's list. I had never come across someone who didn't have that as their default setting. What is that item you ask? Being a good guest.

I remember going to friends' house when I was little and always smiling at the parents or anyone else that was in that house. Always taking my shoes off when others had their shoes off. Always taking my dishes to the kitchen and offering to help put things away, even when I knew they wouldn't let me help. Those things still happen now. When you are a guest at someone's house, you bend over backwards to be nice. You can't be rude to people living in that house. If you don't get along outside that house, you still need to be nice and make an effort to be a good guest. It's common sense, right? Well, not to everyone.