the other day I faced a couple situations and the way the people reacted have stuck with me...
a little background:
I am substitute teaching, which means that they can call me at the very last minute and ask me to come to work. Well this particular day I had stayed up entirely too late the night before reading the Hunger Games (I know right?! I'm finally catching up on all the stuff I missed being out of the US) and they called and asked me to be at the school in 20 minutes.
I put my hair in a ponytail, wore an outfit that I normally wouldn't have otherwise, it was just comfortable and convenient, and tried to put on some mascara and blush in the car.
It was a long day, I was with a boy with Autism and spent most of the day chasing him and I'm fairly certain I looked pretty ragged.
After work I needed to mail a package. I went up to the counter and there was a young man, probably not 30 yet working and I handed him my debit card and it was denied.
What?! I had no cash and no other card and lets just say he was less than happy about the situation ( but really, who could be more upset than me, like I planned this)
I explained that I could go down the street to the bank and return in about 10 minutes with money (thank god for it being a small town) and he replied that I better or my package becomes property of the post office blah blah blah.
I understand that this is probably normal protocol but I had the feeling he was being a little bit extra rude to me and wanted me to feel really terrible about not having any money.
I arrive at my bank, which really isn't that much of "my" bank. I haven't lived here for two years and I don't know anyone who works there.
I go up the counter where a young woman was working and she was so sweet and explained that I had, had several things withdrawn that day (first of the month) and my account was overdrawn.
yikes. I had a check at home that I needed to deposit but was 30 minutes from home (we live out in the boondocks) and a check with me that I was hoping to cash and then take money to the post office.
I explained my situation and the situation at the post office and she allowed me to cash my check that I had with me (which apparently you aren't allowed to do when your account is overdrawn, all the money is supposed to go to the difference) but she allowed me to take $20 of it down to the post office because I promised to come back with more money before they closed for the day.
So back to the post office where the guy at the counter didn't even make eye contact with me just took my money and didn't respond to my heartfelt thanks.
Then to meet my Mom to get the check I had at home and back to the bank where it was deposited with no problems and they didn't charge me any kind of fees.
Bless that woman who's name I didn't even catch.
I was thinking about it and how rude the guy in the post office had been and I happened to see myself in the mirror and I couldn't help but wonder if he would have been nicer to me if I had looked better. If my hair had been fixed and I had on a full face of make up and some more attractive clothing.
Then I wondered if the girl in the bank had been nice to me because I had looked bad. She felt sorry for me and it was some type of female code to help another out.
Would she have responded the same way if I had walked in, in my Sunday best? hmmmm
Maybe I'm just reading way too into it and the guy at the post office is just always a jerk and the woman at the bank is just really sweet and helpful to everyone.
Interesting thought though huh?
Have you ever experienced something similar?
This is a good reminder to just be nice to everyone all the time, regardless of what they look like.
2 comments:
I think pretty girls aways get away more with men in general, but there are kind people and jerks no matter how you are dressed. Once, I was painting/ cleaning (getting ready to move) and my son fell down the stairs and broke his nose. I was not pretty-covered in blood, paint, and grime. The check-in lady was cold and I got the feeling that I might be treated a little nicer if I didn't look like someone who should have their children removed from their custody.
You never know, maybe HE was having a bad day. Something as simple as a headache or difficult as the news that someone he loved was very sick. We can't know what others are going through unless they tell us, so it is just best to treat everyone with kindness.
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