>>>>The distinction between "May I" and "Can I", which generations of parents and teachers have striven to drum into kids, has long ago been obscured. Why, my eldest was wont to say "Please may you get me a glass of milk?" which I found cute. :-)
>>>
>>>A customer from a former job, who lived in Albany, New York, but was raised in Boston, would type emails like that. "Please may you look at this process and let me know if the following changes might be made?"
>>
>>Obviously well brung-up! :-)
>And a really sweet guy to boot! I definately miss talking with him via phone and email - but as I no longer worth at that company, contacting him might not be the best idea.

That's funny. I still have contact with many people from companies I've worked for. Some I left, others left me, but I always saw the people I like differently than part of the company. I go to lunch every week or so with many of them.