Extreme etiquette

I owe the idea of extreme etiquette to an American writer and to a World War 2 novel which he wrote

Sadly, I can’t remember his name, or the title of his novel, which is pretty unforgivable as it’s a good book.

Extreme etiquette

But basically one of the characters in the book, a GI who has been deployed to Britain in readiness for the Allied invasion of Europe, has an encounter with a British shop assistant and is somewhat startled by the number of thank-yous that take place during the transaction.

His GI doesn’t get too involved in the process, but what if he were to get involved in it, so involved in fact that he and the shop assistant become embroiled in a seemingly-endless loop of thank-yous.
Of course, there’s nothing wrong with being polite, so to this novelist,
thank you…

Extreme etiquette

British shop assistant to GI, who has just completed a purchase and is leaving shop: thank you
GI: thank you
British shop assistant, calling out to him: thank you
GI, pausing in doorway: pardon me, you already said thank you.
British shop assistant: oh, did I? I’m sorry – thank you for reminding me.
GI, who by now is beginning to enjoy this: thank you for thanking me for thanking you for reminding you.
British shop assistant, who by now is also beginning to enjoy it: Well, in that case, thank you for thanking me for thanking you…
GI: Let’s try to reconstruct the scene. Initially, I said thank you for.. – why did I initially say thank you?
British shop assistant: etiquette?
GI: oh, sure, thank you.
British shop assistant: that’s ok.
GI: pardon me, you didn’t say thank you.
British shop assistant: oh, didn’t I? Thank you for reminding me.
GI: well in that case, thank you for thanking me for thanking you – (etc. etc.)