As the loud yelling of offensively bad language progressed to the ‘F’ word, I spoke up. From some distance away, I yelled, “You have bad language!” The swearing stopped, along with any talk at all. I watched out of the corner of my eye, for someone to come out. I was trying to figure out who was swearing in public.

Watch your Mouth!
After a while, two teenage boys left the restroom, along with the trash and the mop bucket. These boys were on the job and driving a city vehicle. That kind of bad language could have cost them their job.
This brought me back to a time, years ago, when I had a plumbing problem. The kitchen sink was clogged in an apartment we rented. The sink wouldn’t unplug, and a plumber was called. The guy who showed up was new on the maintenance job.
The plumber the complex sent for the job decided to take the pipe apart. The dirty sink water, along with the Drano that was used, got out onto our kitchen carpet. The guy not only ruined the rug, he also started swearing and using bad language in front of me and my young children. I called the office and reported him. Apparently, it was his first and last day on the job.

I learned about swearing by challenging my older sister. When I was in the fourth grade, I kept seeing the ‘F’ word written on park benches and I asked my older sister what it meant. She said, “It’s a bad word.” She probably didn’t know what it meant, at the time.
I said, “I’m going to keep saying it until you tell me what it means.” I then proceeded to say the word.
After the second time I said the ‘F’ word, my sister tackled me to the ground and put her hand over my mouth. She threatened me with her fist, “Don’t you ever say that word again!”
I didn’t say it again!
When I got a little older, my friends began to swear
My friends thought it was cool to swear! One day in the sixth grade, I was mad at a friend and threatened to tell her mom she was swearing. She was very worried, and I never heard her swear in front of me again.
I was afraid I would slip and swear in front of my dad
I didn’t pick up swearing—because I knew that if I swore and it became a habit, I would one day slip up and swear in front of my dad. I couldn’t take that chance. My parents were very religious and very strict.

I could just imagine being at the dinner table and someone would take the last piece of chicken, which I wanted. I would let out a string of expletives and the whole family would gasp. My dad would invite me to leave the table and go with him into the other room to be scolded. My brothers and sisters would try to hear what my dad was saying to me. I would be so sorry, but that wouldn’t be enough, I would definitively be grounded. No. I could not take that chance.
These days, there’s acceptable and unacceptable language. The way you talk when you are around your friends, may not be acceptable on a job. Think about slipping and swearing on a job, or at school! There would likely be consequences.
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That’s a very good story. I knew I would face bad language in the military. And I did. I didn’t use it nor drink alcohol. Maybe someone learned something from me. Keep up the good work. I will attempt to get my first book out soon. I’m thinking of going with Bookbaby.
While taking a religious course I was required to set a goal. I chose to stop swearing. I found the more I concentrated on this goal the more I swore! So I changed the goal. I chose to work on thinking positive thoughts. Guess What! The more I concentrated on this goal the more I thought positive thoughts.
I like your comment, Julie. When you changed the goal to keeping a positive thought, it was easier to stop swearing!