A little smile goes a long way. A "hello" and a sincere "how are you?" goes even farther. I try my best to offer as many smiles and hellos as I can, but sometimes they feel rather fruitless. This afternoon, I was reminded that a little kindness is never in vain.
Due to my affection for cheap food and french fries, the McDonald's on campus generally makes an appearance in my schedule at least once a week. I make small talk with the employees, order from the dollar menu, wish them a good day, and head on my way. Most of the employees are of average amiability, but there is one particular employee who always seems disgruntled. She is notorious for being the brash, short tempered, often insulting McDonald's employee. Most people avoid interaction with her, but I have tried my hardest to show her that I value her by being as authentically friendly as possible. It honestly saddens me to think that every day is a bad enough day to appear frustrated and angry. So, I try to smile and brighten her day just a little.
I walked into McDonald's today, and she greeted me as she took my order. Generally I pay with change or my credit card and order the same thing on every visit. This time I added a PowerAid and miscalculated my total by a mere four cents. I went to switch my $5 bill to my debit card, but she wouldn't let me. She said "there ain't no sense in using your card for four cent; I got ya." and pulled a nickel out of her pocket and placed it in the register. I humbly accepted her gift, and thanked her profusely.
Looks like I earned the trust and friendship of someone who has been labelled by many as just another inconvenient element of their day. A little smile goes a long way. If only we would offer a little kindness a little more often...
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