6 days Ago
The cashier at Strack & Van Til grocery store in Munster noticed that the fresh flowers I bought didn’t have any plastic wrap on the wet stems. “Let me take care of that for you,” she told me. “You don’t want a mess in your car.
” I didn’t notice it while scurrying through the store to grab birthday gift items before I had to drive to Portage for an interview. I was running behind on time. “Oh that’s OK,” I told the cashier, whose name is Sandra.
“The flowers are fine like they are.” She wouldn’t have it. A second later, Sandra left her register and bolted to the flower section.
I looked behind me at the customers waiting in line, feeling bad that I was holding them up. The situation reminded me of a hilarious scene from the movie “Love Actually” as Rowan Atkinson portrayed a charming jewelry salesman who went above and beyond to prepare a gifted necklace purchased by Alan Rickman's character, Harry. He simply wanted the necklace for his secretary.
I simply wanted the flowers for my sister. But Sandra, through the perfect combination of personal touch and professional duty, reminded me about the importance of presentation. She returned to her register with my flowers properly wrapped.
“And there you go, sir,” Sandra said, presenting the bouquet to me like an award. I was so impressed that I video recorded the rest of our exchange to post on my socials. Such remarkable efforts by strangers should be shared with others, I believe.
“When you’re in our store, please come back to me,” Sandra said. “I like to make sure you’re treated the right way. You deserve it.
” I left the store with an entirely different attitude, solely because of Sandra. Now that's customer service. This past week, I’ve been fortunate to interact with several people in our Region, all strangers to me, who stood out with their kindness, or attention to detail, or dedication to their job.
Readers continually clamor for “positive news” in our Region — and in our country — but historically it’s negative news, political rhetoric and controversial issues that generate more attention, feedback and outrage. Today’s column offers a brief reprieve from such news by introducing you to a few people in our area who “deserve it,” as Sandra would say. At the Red Lobster restaurant in Munster, a server named Mary told me that she had not yet received any reviews on the restaurant’s review platform.
“If you’re happy with my service, would you please leave one?” she asked, giving me a business-size card with a scan code. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts I rarely write such reviews via Google, but I routinely share reviews on my Facebook page and other social media platforms. “Do you mind if I give you a review that way?” I asked Mary.
“Sure, baby!” she replied while posing for a quick photo at my table. I wrote: “Mary is magnificent. Friendly.
Cheery. Prompt service. Attentive to our table’s needs and time constraints for lunch.
Butter for the biscuits with extra ones to go without having to ask. And extra dressing for my salad (the only reason I go there, I don’t eat seafood). She.
Was. Perfect.” I left that place feeling better about the human condition than when I sat down at my table, solely because of Mary.
On another day at the same restaurant, I ordered carryout lunch to take to my office a few minutes away. “I’ll take care of you, Mr. Jerry,” a young woman named Nyah told me from behind the carryout counter.
And she did, with a megawatt smile, professional efficiency and a personal touch that goes beyond workplace duties. Certain people in our social orbits seem to stand out for qualities that others, including me, simply don’t possess. These people exude a sense of positivity that feels infectious, though they may not be aware of it.
I met a man in his 20s who’s a healthcare worker at the office of Dr. Denis Nam, a knee specialist at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush. “How’s life?” I asked the man.
It’s my typical greeting to strangers instead of asking about their day. “Wow, let me think about that for a minute,” he replied. He pondered that question for a full minute, literally, before saying, “Well, I’m progressing .
” Then he briefly explained how he’s progressing in life as he checked me in for my appointment. “Hey, thanks for asking,” he said with surprising sincerity before we parted ways. “Most people don’t do that.
” Too many of us also don’t fully appreciate when our paths cross with strangers who give us an emotional boost or change the direction of our day. We may never see them again, but they leave an imprint on us whether they realize it or not. The next time I grocery shop at that Strack & Van Til, I plan to buy another bouquet of fresh flowers, properly wrapped this time, for a certain cashier who — that's right — deserves it.
.
