A Smile Is Warm and Welcoming
After my unpleasant experience with the grumpy saleslady at Staples yesterday, I went to Paneras for lunch. The gals at the counter were officious--not warm, but certainly not rude or offensive. They did their jobs.
A delightful surprise awaited me, however, when I picked up my soup. The young man who put the orders together and then called the name of the customer finally got to my order. He glanced up, said “Gail, soup?” I responded in the positive and got the warmest, most pleasant shy smile as he handed me my tray.
Such a small thing--a smile, yet so important. I felt special just because of that momentary smile and temporary recognition.
A smile warms the room and the hearts of the people within!
Civility at the Oscars??
Oscar night unleashes a bouquet of beautiful people dressed in colorful, gorgeous gowns (and suits) strutting gracefully down the red carpet. This is the creme-de-la-creme of movie world, and we all love to watch.
My favorite gowns and my less-than-favorite gowns reflect my taste, not the wearers of such finery, so I am always taken back when critics decide to ridicule and demean certain gowns and the people wearing the gowns that they don’t like.
Who cares what Stephen Whitty likes or doesn’t? Who is Stephen Whitty anyhow? Perhaps he is someone who thinks his ridicule is funny? Maybe he’s a nice guy being paid to make outrageous comments so people will read the paper--like people having to look at a car crash?
Monday’s Star Ledger read “We’re not sure whose wallpaper died to make this dress, but the floral-bling-on-black gown did the curvaceous Beyonce no favors.” Is that funny? Not to me it isn’t. And I’m certain it would be hurtful for Beyonce to read.
Writer, Stephen Whitty, goes on to debase others: “What Miley Cyrus wore wasn’t so much a dress as a float in the Rose Bowl parade. We assume her hair looked like that because no stylist could reach far enough past the layered hoop skirts to reach her head.” OUCH!
“Poor Amanda Seyfried . . . looked like somebody’s long-forgotten Christmas present.” That happened to be one of my favorite gowns, but who am I to judge?
“A bath sheet? Actually Jessica Biel wore a satin gown by Prada, but the overall effect was more towel-rack than terrific.”
I can almost understand when a person is being paid to be unkind, but I would imagine that money is costly to the individual being paid. If the unkind words were meant to be humorous, I wonder if Beyonce, Miley, Amanda, and Jessica would agree.
It is tough to justify lack of civility in any circumstance. Maybe celebrities are used to this type of unkindness but I subscribe to Maya Anglou philosophy, "People may not remember what you did or what you said but they will always remember how you made them feel," and that’s the price the Stephen Whitty’s of the world pay--hurting others for a living! In the long run, that's a hefty price to pay.
Grumpy Staples Saleslady
When the new Staples store opened in downtown Westfield this year I was delighted. I no longer had to out to the highway for ink or toner or little things I needed.
Yesterday I read the Staples sales circular and found four items I needed. Off I went for my second visit. During my first visit I encountered some harried salespeople, which I attributed to being new and feeling pressured.
Yesterday I found three of the four items I needed. The slot where the fourth half price item had been was empty. I asked if I could get a rain check. The saleslady timidly asked the woman who was obviously in charge, and this woman turned on me as if I had insulted her. “We don’t carry the sale items here!” which was contradicted by the three items in my hand.
I calmly asked, “You mean I should have gone to the big store on the highway?” She angrily retorted, “Yes!” I apologized for my mistake in coming here, paid for my items and vowed never to come to this store again.
Rudeness does not work! My favorite tip from my Secret Shopper Tips booklet is “See the invisible tattoo on everyone’s forehead that reads ‘Please make me feel important!’”