To celebrate Valentine’s Day, last night Alan and I attended a 2.5 hour Thai massage workshop offered by an instructor at my yoga studio. We both like to rub and be rubbed, so I thought it sounded fun.
The vibe was a bit like what I suspect one experiences at a Lamaze class – couples huddled together on blankets with men exhibiting varying levels of interest and embarrassment. Almost immediately, one couple stood out.
Yesterday walking home from the grocery store (which is literally right across the street), I saw a girl struggling to get her car out of a parking space. Her wheels were spinning and digging her deeper and deeper into the snow. Having been in the same situation 24 hours before and rescued by the kindness of strangers, I decided to pay it forward and offer to help.
After pushing and digging and offering creative ideas for traction, I’d helped make absolutely no progress. If a thought bubble had appeared above my head, it would’ve said, “F*ck. What have I gotten myself into?” because – as I sat there pushing her bumper – it occurred to me: there’s no easy way to walk away. Once you’ve offered assistance, you’re in the game until the clock runs out.
Apparently they just put a baby on the label because it's less frightening than a middle aged man or a dog.
I stopped by CVS on my way home from yoga this morning to pick up some nail glue for my thumb. (Last week I sliced right through it with a serrated knife, and as it’s growing out, it’s getting UGLY.)
Anyway, I’m standing there, considering my options, shoulder to shoulder with a somewhat prissy man facing the opposite shelf. He was on his cell phone, and as such, in something of a privacy bubble that be believes makes his conversation impossible to overhear. NOT.
Maybe it’s because I’m a morning person, but I would rather be in the office at my desk at 6:30 Monday morning for a conference call than asked to dial-in at 5:30pm on a Friday for an hour-long discussion. Am I crazy, or the lone voice of reason in Corporate America?
So often, I complain about inefficiency in the world. It seems only fair, then, to recognize the most awesome customer experience I’ve had in the past week.
pithypants 