Wednesday, June 15, 2005

Power of a couple small words...

I was on the phone yesterday when I got a reminder of just how seldom we're actually kind to other people and how much of an impact it makes when we are.

I had already talked to what felt like half the interns in Washington, D.C. so I was feeling a bit tired of the whole phone thing, but that's a whole different story. Anyway, I called the FEC (Federal Elections blah blah blah) to find some information on PACs and the woman on the line was being very professional but she sounded a bit tired. So during a pause, I asked her how her day was going.

I've been known to embellish when I tell stories, but I kid you not even a little when I say that I could hear her smile.

"Wow... thank you for asking," she answered. "It's going pretty good. Can I say that it's going better now? How's your day going?"

Anyway, she got me some information and then she needed to transfer me to someone else. Right before she transfered my call over she paused and said, "Before I let you go, I have to thank you for asking about my day. No one's ever done that before. I hope you have a great day sir."

This woman answers phones at an agency in Washington, D.C. so you have to imagine she fields a lot of calls every day... and yet no one had ever asked her about her day. That amazes me.

My challenge to anyone reading this is to go out and just be nice to at least one person -- a bank teller, a grocery clerk, your dentist... whoever. I would be curious to hear how many people you can make smile in one day.

9 comments:

tshsmom said...

Random acts of human kindness are the BEST! We should ALL try to do at least one a day.

Sadie Lou said...

Hey Shawn--I have a request. I want you to visit my blog for today's post (6/15) and click on the link for the comics I found on the internet. I really think they would appeal to your humor. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Jason said...

I will take you up on it. But I'm going to kill some real estate agents.

Shawn said...

I would love to rush to the aid of real estate agents... but I don't really want to... So, guess you will have be nice twice to make up for any acts of wanton destruction...

begins with v said...

thank you for giving a shot out to the bank tellers...I used to be one for 5 years, and you are so right when you say that some people can really make a difference with a few kind words! Thanks!

The Zombieslayer said...

Shawn - we live in a small town in Northern California. The beauty of a small town is people are generally nice and you notice the ones who are jerks.

For some strange reason in this town though, a lot of our bank tellers are hot so they get plenty of nice from horny older men.

Laurie said...

I second Slade's comment: Thanks for pointing out the bank tellers. All day I sit at my desk in the bank and hear people bitch at tellers for taking too long, or for following company and governmental standards. That being said, and as someone who works in customer service myself, one small act of "How are you" or "Have a nice afternoon" or "Thanks for your help - I appreciate it" can change the whole course of someone's day.

Shawn said...

Everybody deserves a bit of the love... except Wal-Mart checkers who work for the Devil and therefore get no love.

I find that my bank teller flirting is severely limited by the fact that they can see how little is in my account...

Miranda said...

This is a great idea. :)
I agree with tshsmom.