Both parties in conversation using *kenjougo*?


[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/okREe.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/okREe.jpg)So
I'm reading a kid's story, where a _tanuki_ with a swollen stomach calls a
rabbit doctor.

I believe that both parties are using _kenjougo_ / _sonkeigo_ when speaking
with each other. (I'm guessing that this is because one is a customer - thus
deserving of respect - and the other is a doctor - _also_ deserving of
respect?)

I guess I was assuming that both parties in the conversation come to a similar
ranking in this situation...but this story would indicate that this is not
always the case.

Am I understanding this correctly? And if so, is this a relatively normal
occurrence?




In this case, the doctor is the customer/guest. (Am I using "customer"
wrongly?)

They use keigo mutually because they are outsiders to each other, which is
rather normal.

(Incidentally, ございます is not a kenjogo but a teineigo/polite verb, which shows
respect to the listener.)

