Looking Sharp
If you’re a regular listener to KXEL, or if you view the social media videos of these segments, you know that I wear a shirt and tie to work most every day…it’s just the way I was raised, and I figure if you are going to ask the audience to take what you say on weighty matters seriously, you should dress the part to show respect for the audience and any guests we have, even if they’re by phone. Others may have a different approach, but I can’t see talking about presidential politics while wearing a t-shirt and shorts.
Last Friday was one of those days where a sport coat and dress slacks were part of the wardrobe, in addition to the shirt and tie…I had some business meetings that afternoon. On my way home, I stopped at a Hy-Vee to pick up a few things for dinner.
As I was weighing options on the shelf, I heard a younger male voice speak out, saying, “Looking sharp, sir!” I turned to see who I would have known who would have been at the store…as it happened, it was not someone I knew, but a young store employee who was on his way from one area to the next and called out the compliment.
It took me by surprise, but I managed to tell him thank you for the kind words.
Now, there was nothing really special about the outfit, and I’m sure there were plenty of other folks dressed similarly who stopped at the grocery store on their way home. But the employee made a comment that was designed to make a customer feel better…and it did.
I thought about the exchange, and realized that I would never think of calling out to someone I didn’t know and say anything—good or bad. Just not in my makeup.
But how much better would we be generally if folks thought nothing of paying perfect strangers a compliment or giving an encouraging word without being thought to be creepy.
Those few words gave me a little lift, to the point I didn’t mind leaving the checkout line to go back to pick up something I had forgotten.
Maybe that’s something that should catch on.
