How We React to People

When did I become "Ma'am"? I really don't like being called that at all. It's 2007 and people still don't know how to refer to women properly. I guess it's not bad as when people call me Mr. because of my first name.
I just had the weirdest experience. I was watching the end of this amazing, tear jerker, After the Wedding, when my door bell rang. This girl was obviously collecting money. She had a big laminated card with her saying that she is with an Oakland organization trying to raise money and she had a bag of stuff she was "selling." I saw this Harley sign and knew that something was fishy so I told her that I give donations through my company, which I actually do. I just made one to the Bay Area Foodbank this week because I read that they were short of food for the holiday. Anyhow, she then asked me if she could use the bathroom. What could I say to a teenage kid? But I have to be honest, so many thoughts were running through my head. I grabbed the phone, just in case, and she was there for a long time. She thanked me and left. Phew ... I guess I've been watching too much TV. But the bathroom does stink ... so she did leave something. But it was a very strange feeling because I wasn't sure what was really going on.