“The customer is always right.” But what if the customer is rude, angry, or even hostile? How does that affect those who witness or experience it? Whether you’re waiting in line at the grocery store, flying on an airplane, or getting blood drawn at a health clinic, it seems like rudeness is running rampant. And, unfortunately, frontline workers are bearing the brunt of this uptick in incivility. It’s as if they’ve gone from “essential workers” to punching bags, as weary, annoyed, stressed-out people, customers, and patients unleash their anxieties and frustrations.