Manners Much?

I try, and sometimes fail, to be mannerly and polite wherever I go. I have a basic grasp and understanding of social graces and, as a good Southerner, I do my best to put these graces to good use.

Apparently someone missed a chapter in charm school.

I went for a manicure and pedicure today, hoping for a relaxing start to my afternoon. The place I went is in the middle of an upscale neighborhood downtown (this subdivision is its own little town- nail salon, coffee shops, grocery stores, dry cleaners, and a few restaurants) and one of the people who lives in the neighborhood was getting a pedicure in the chair next to mine. You could tell this lady had some "work" done, but she was very well put together and from the way she was talking to everyone who worked at the salon, I can only guess she's a regular customer. Her mannerisms and overall behavior made you believe (and I'm sure was her goal) that money was no object. I'm reading my book and hear a clicking noise. I ignored it at first, but it continued. I start to look around and then I see it. It's the woman next to me. She's biting her nails. Well, biting may be an understatement. She resembled a dog gnawing on a rawhide bone.

Click. Click. Pop. Click. Pop. Pop.

This woman, who at first glance might have fit into the "epitome of class" category, is beginning to have a little pile of nail clippings on the table next to her, none the wiser that I am about to not only lose it because of the clicking and popping, but also the pure disgustingness (yes, I made up a word; I think this calls for it) of her grooming habits. I keep my cool. See? Using those social graces.

The really unbelievable part is that she got a manicure after all this. Could she not have waited 30 minutes and just asked to have her nails cut down like a normal, mannerly human who goes in for a manicure?