It met at that median between obsequious and boorish that people come on with you because they have to assert that you’re not such hot stuff.

obsequious (adj) 1: attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery [syn: bootlicking, fawning, sycophantic, toadyish] 2: attentive in an ingratiating or servile manner – Harlan Ellison, part two