In my misspent youth, when I was in the rock'n'roll business, and in my early 20's, a concert promoter of some or another professional relationship, sent passes to his presentation of Black Sabbath in some sleazy venue in Toledo, Ohio. I knew that some young female friends of friends were "into" this act, so, in a rare gesture of magnanimity, offered to take these Ozzy fans to the show, despite my personal disinterest bordering on revulsion (for any musical standards...) The passes gave us "general admission" seats (i.e., folding chairs in rows on the floor of a hockey rink, or etc.). We took our places, but were soon accosted by a larger party looking for a block of seats. An improbably polite and respectful young man, representing his block of friends, approached and asked, "Excuse me sir, but you would mind moving a little bit so that we can all sit together?"
This was a perfectly reasonable and formally framed request, at which I took considerable umbrage at having been referred to as "Sir" by a person not very much my junior. I'm still stung by the recollection...!
