Official language of Dallas?

Ok. So we are in Dallas this weekend. Or are we? Why do I feel as though I have traveled too far, say.. oh .. like to Mexico. Every place we shopped, every place we ate... I did not understand what was being said and it was obvious a few times that they did not quite understand us either. Even on the elevator of our hotel, Caitlin turned to the woman who had entered with us and asked what floor while pointing toward the buttons. The woman put on that funny little smile that means "I don't know what you're talking about" and stepped past Caitlin to push her own button. Obviously didn't understand that she was offering to do this task for her had she just said the magic number.

And as for the male counterparts, not one time did any of them ever... and I mean EVER... hold the door for us or allow us to enter a door or elevator before them. I was so appalled at the manners. Politeness comes in all languages... doesn't it??