She said, “When you ordered your steak ‘dry’ and the butter and sour cream on the side, I thought you’d probably want less dressing on your salad, too. I’ll be happy to go get more for you if you’d like.”
From Let's Do The Twist
I was thinking about one of those little things today. My job frequently requires me to go to my customer's office. My customer's office is located behind concrete barricades and accessing more than the lobby requires a moderately lengthy sign-in process enforced by people with guns.
More often than not, I'm in a huge hurry and am dashing across the parking lot hoping there's not a long line of people experiencing the moderately lengthy sign-in process enforced by people with guns. The people with guns who authorize my access deal with rude people all day long. I've seen it. Many of them are pissed about how long it takes; they're outraged that they can't bring their cellphones in the building; and so on. I imagine the people with guns feel much like boarding gate personnel when a flight's been delayed only they must greater self-control.
Um. I'm rambling, aren't I?
I've made it a point to be pleasant and friendly to these people with guns and not just because they're people with guns. I like being nice, usually. I smile. I ask about their day, weekend, plans for the holiday, etc. I don't just ask, I care about the answers.
It's had a remarkable and unexpected result.
The people with guns see me coming as I hustle* in from the parking lot. When I approach the counter, the people with guns have begun saying, "Hi, Ms. Random Consumer! I have your badge right here, if you'll just sign the form." This makes my day much more pleasant.
I like people with guns and good attitudes.
*Not the dance from the 70s characterized by the wearing of polyester and gold chains.
2 comments:
I really prefer the image of you doing the *other* hustle.
I have a friend who taught the Hustle many years ago. He's now a very successful business man. I really should call him and give him hell about that.
Oh, and Jane? I shouldn't dance. I have no rhythm. In fact, I'm so bad at rhythm and physical coordination I've been banned from public aerobics classes. It seems falling down on the ground and laughing until you cry doesn't count as exercise and that's what all the other people would be doing.
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