Call me madam, perhaps.

Love,dear...can't stand it. I like Mrs ....for the respect. Tee hee
That's for young wipper snappers addressing me. Not perhaps my own generation so much

Oh dear, some of the comments on here are making me feel quite sorry for the shop assistants! Does it really matter how you are addressed as long as it it isn't rudely? After all, you are being addressed. The staff I do find rude are those who carry out a whole transaction wordlessly, assume that you have seen the total price on the till display so that they don't even need to tell you how much you owe, or else do so without a please or thank you. I would much rather be wished a nice day, even if it's insincere or called 'you guys' than not be spoken to or looked at! Even worse was the woman who tutted at me when I apologised as I had no small change! Also I am slightly irritated by those who are so busy chatting with each other they either keep you waiting or continue their conversation whilst they serve you. But call me love, dear, madam, darling, whatever, if it's friendly I won't mind!

I hate 'dear' but anything else is all right - especially 'gorgeous'! One of the delivery drivers always calls me that. I bet he says that to all the girls! Or at least all the susceptible older women

I'd rather not be called Madam, but what really gets me is being addressed as hello or hi Christian Name on totally impersonal bills from BT, British Gas, etc. Having to provide my given name does not imply a blanket permission to use it.

Madam would be nice, especially when one has white hair (there IS no respect for age, is there?!?!) but I positively detest when Glasgow (I live in Scotland) bus drivers, postmen, etc. call me "pal". I got so fed up with a rail employee once that I said to him "I'm not your pal and I could be your granny!" He just looked bewildered, poor man. On the other hand, I rather like another Glaswegian term, "hen". From both men and women. The women never say "pal".

I am absolutely with you queenie53
(is it a name thing??) on not caring how I'm addressed so long as it's pleasant, friendly and polite. Being ignored altogether is my pet hate, it makes me wonder if greying hair makes me totally invisible! As long as it's within my power to avoid it I really don't want to be a stereotypical grumpy old woman. I see so many folk, old and young, being so rude and dismissive to others....after all would I want to be doing that job...probably not!

I was at an outpatients appointment this afternoon.
After I checked Iwas told to take a seat. Then I was told I would be called shortly.

I thought I don't want to be called Shortly I am Nellimoser.

LOL, I am called Madame all the time here ;)

MaryXYX yes, I think I would have a problem being called Sir In fact, I might not leave the house again!

When in poundstretcherland99pstore or whatever it was I was called 'dearie' by the 12 year old on the till. Hackles raised and the child was getting a lesson in manners and respect as DD grabbed bags, my arm and propelled me from the shop. (Ok, the irony re the manners bit!). Anyway, the only other thing that winds me up (actually there's a few things, really!) is being called 'Ms' - don't get me started on that one....

Queenie53 - I was recently in the gift shop of a London gallery waiting to pay. There were three tills and two young women assistants, one serving the customer in front of me. As the sale was completed the second assistant, who was standing close to the other assistant, rather than near the other tills, excitedly launched straight into continuing a chat with her colleague. It included the words 'So he said "Is anyone serving here?"'
I was unable to resist interrupting (cheerfully) 'Is anyone serving HERE?!'
The chatting young women leapt to her till and, head down, fiddled with it. The other one, who had been looking slightly uncomfortable while her colleague chatted to her, served me. I thanked her and left. I hope a lesson was learnt!

In the 1950s and 60s I came to hate the formulaic 'Can I help you?' and grudging, condescending use of 'Madam' which some department stores and ladies' wear emporiums (emporia?) insisted their staff must use. I also have responded to 'dear' by calling them dear right back.

Like several other posters, I now don't really mind anything I'm called. I'll even accept 'Mom', and love being called 'Bab' (local term for small child!) both by market traders. I don't particularly like being referred to as 'the lady' by one assistant to another and sometimes bother to say (cheerfully) 'Yes, the lady would really like one of those.'

I do compliment assistants on nails and once commented positively on the unusual pattern of the very visible underwear worn by the young man serving me in a sports shop...

Dee - what a wonderful thing you do! If I had time in my life I would join you (working full time+). Maybe other Gransnetters could consider reading Dee's post and volunteering?

Dee What a lovely idea that "Storybook dads" is.

Nelliemoser - LOL! A relative couldn't resist it when a close friend had an accident and asked him to call him an ambulance. He also rang 999.

Ooo, just remembered - when living in the Middle East, if out with hubby, we were 'Ma'amsir'. This was mainly used by the Phillipino staff there. Kind of ok-ish. It was meant with good intent and not patronisingly (re my previous post about the shop assistant).

Dee - Storybook Dads is an inspirational way to keep children in touch with parents who are inside.

A Philipina domestic friend refers to her employer as 'my lady' which sounds sweet. She calls her by her first name.

Looked at Storybook Dads website - very interesting, thanks, Dee.

I checked out the website too and will not forget something like that which will mean a lot to so many. Thank you Deer.

Wilmak I live on the Suffolk/Norfolk border. So I am not sure if 'my lovely' is a Norfolk or a Suffolk thing. It's rather nice, though.

A couple of times, a student inadvertently called me 'Sir' and I replied'you are NOT my sister, are you!?'

One got it, the other defintitely didn't and it took ages to explain! LOL or as we say here, MDR.

jane I did wonder if it was West Country. Been to Norfolk a fair bit in years gone by, but nobody called me My lovely - even though I am well behaved

gj is it a play on the French word for sister?

West Country is me luvver.

I have a friend who if she contacts me after some time gap on email says 'Hello lovely girl'. I really like that because it sums up her personality.

Nelliemoser, Mademoiselle is just not acceptable these days in France or Switzerland, as it is considered derogatory, unless it is for a very young woman. Using 'Madame' for all is the alternative to the use of a neutral alternative like Ms (which is not neutral at all, for all sorts of other reasons as we know).

Galen thanks for that - knew it sounded familiar.

I didn't know we shouldn't use Mademoiselle the way we were taught at school - good to know.