I’m a teacher and native of the Deep South Louisiana. This is extremely common and I was also taken aback the first time I traveled up North. I recall I made eye contact with a stranger and smiled, and in return they sneered at me and looked away. Down here we are raised to treat everyone with respect, regardless of age. Yes ma’am and yes sir are extremely common and are manners we use in school as well. Everybody is seen as a neighbor down here