TODAY - A GOOD DAY!

TWO GOOD EXPERIENCES and A RADICAL LESSON

Today, I had a terrific experience at STOP ONE grocery on the corner of Stanton St. and Allen St. (on the east side of the street.) I went in to buy a banana (to put in my pancake batter.) The gentleman behind the counter said, "35 cents." I started digging around in my purse, and all I had was 21 cents. I was digging, and digging, and couldn't find any other change. The man saw I was having trouble finding change, and said, "What do you have? A quarter? That's fine, whatever you have." I didn't even have that. "All I have is 21 cents, or a ten dollar bill," I said. "Just give me whatever you have, it's fine." He said. He was very polite, very courteous, and smiled while speaking to me, and not in a "I'd totally rape you if this place was an empty alley" kind of way, in a mutual kind of "We are interacting in a pleasant, humane way to one another, because we have no reason to act otherwise," kind of way. It was verykind and pleasant of him, and helped my pleasant city Sunday to be even that much more pleasant. Why would anyone do anything differently than the way he did?

MY SECOND GOOD EXPERIENCE happened at Bluestockings Bookstore. The very nature of the store is a good deed for society. There is a park bench that they leave outside (chained up) all night long, so citizens can use it. The CITY doesn't even leave benches out for people to sit on. Bluestockings seems to be an independently owned bookstore, but I don't know much about the owners at this point. As I walked around the store, I saw that, among their new books, they also sell USED books alongside the new ones, at discounted prices. EVERY STORE should do this. Obviously, some stores it wouldn't work with, for example, an underwear store. But in many stores, it would work. The entire front panel of the large reception/register area was a community board and pamplet distribution area. What a great idea. Every store should have a community board and encourage people to share information about what is going on in their neighborhood. As I walked along the board, I saw terrific information - free classes, free shows, free everything. It was all about people giving out what they had to give. I found a pamphlet for a store called the FREE store, where everything is free. What an excellent idea. Think of how much great stuff you throw away because you don't know anyone who wants it. Think of how much furniture and food you see in the garbage, and how cool it'd be to have someplace where you can just go get something if you need it, instead of having to go buy it at some lame shithole chain store. I had an example of poor, but not unforgiveable customer service at Bluestockings, also. As I was leaving, I turned to the lady at the counter and said, "This is really a great store." She didn't reply and barely acknowledged my statement. She just kind of half smiled. She might have said, "Yes, it truly is," or "No, actually it isn't that great." But maybe she was high, which is generally, a good way to be when you are working in the service industry.

A RADICAL CUSTOMER SERVICE LESSON TO ALL CASHIERS OF LARGE CORPORATIONS:
Kinkos, McDonalds, Fashion Bug, The Gap, Food Emporium, etc.

Every so often, as often as you feel comfortable doing it, as you are ringing up customers, pick up one of their items and just put it in the bag without charging the customer for it. The customer will be delighted and won't say a word about it. You probably shouldn't give them a knowing wink or smile. Just do it and know that they will appreciate it, even if they don't acknowledge it. The corporation will still make billions, and you'll have brightened someone's day.

*This service is best applied when a customer is kind to you, or at least pleasant, from the get-go. If a person is an asshole to you, you can still do it, because it might make them happy later which will pass on happiness elsewhere down the road, which won't necessarily benefit you directly, but who knows? Maybe they'll run into a friend of yours incidentally and be kind to them instead, and without even knowing the two of you are affiliated in any way. That thought can be internally fulfilling, and you may even just delight in the possibility of such a happenstance. I would.

* This service isn't smart if you work at a small independently-owned store. (Unless the people who own the store are lousy to their customers - marking prices way up, overcharging customers, not letting them use the restroom, or otherwise treating customers poorly.)

*Don't worry about getting fired. You shouldn't be working there, anyway. Plus, if you're subtle and don't do it at inopportune times (for example, when a manager is standing next to you) you should be fine.

Thank you for reading. It's been a pleasure to serve you. Until next time...