Have you ever met a stranger who motivates you completely by just being themselves? Today my motivation is dedicated to the strangers in our lives who change our lives.
I work at a place that sells sandwiches and baked goods. I get to work in the morning with customers and if you have ever worked in a bakery in the early morning you learn that there are many people who come in regularly to get their daily fix of bagels, brownies, cookies, coffee, or whatever it is that they want. You get to know these people. You greet them by name and you learn what will make them smile and what will make them frown. They get to know you similarly. Then there are the regulars who aren't so regular. They come in maybe just once a week or even just once a month. But you still know them. Not by name, and you don't know a whole lot about them, just who they are and what they want. Today I speak of one of those customers. The "Tuesday Man" or as I call him, "The Ornery Man".
Some Tuesdays a man comes in and gets a sheet of pumpkin squares where I work and he always complains that the bottom of the pan is sticky. Well, 9 times out of 10 it actually is. That's what happens when you put frosting on stuff. So we wipe it down and continue on. It never stops there though. This man takes at least 10 minutes to place his order. Really?! What takes him so long? Can't he just order and then leave us be? Sometimes he even orders large amounts of things and isn't specific on what he wants. "Just put whatever on them" he once told me referring to 35 sandwiches he wanted. He sounds like the worst customer in the world right? Who does that? How can I tolerate him when he comes in some Tuesdays?
Here's how it works. What takes him 10 minutes to order is because he cares less about the stuff and the money it costs as he does about the people. He stops and actually talks to you. "How are you?" "I noticed your apron is really dirty what have you been making?" "You make how many cookies every day?" "Tell me what's going on." He sees the person helping him behind the counter as an actual person, not as some measly idiot who is only paid minimum wage because they didn't go to college and thus you can treat as an idiot. He sees YOU!
It doesn't stop at that though because there are a lot of people like that. Doesn't he get in the way of other customers if he takes 10 minutes to order? I have never once heard another customer complain about this man as they walk out the door. "I'll take care of theirs." This is what he says when he comes in. Most of the time he comes in he pays upwards of $20 for other peoples things. Just this morning a woman walked in the door while he was still ordering. He said, "Tell her it's her food is free today" and then he sat down to get out of the way. The woman ordered everything she needed and I got it all ready for her. I then explained that her food was free today. I never give the man credit I just tell them they don't owe me anything. Why would he do that? For what comes next. People get a look of wonder and amazement. At first they are slightly confused and check in their brains that it is not April Fool's Day. Then they realize I'm serious and say thank you and walk away with a smile on their face. It makes their day completely! The man always tells me, "What is a few dollars for a smile? That person is going to have a great day today. Over what? A couple of bucks! That's it!" This man does not drive a fancy car. He is not extremely wealthy. He is just a man who enjoys seeing the joy that other people experience.
So every Tuesday that this man comes in I make sure I am there to wait on him. To make all 35 sandwiches. To wipe the bottom of the pumpkin squares pan. To forget the rest of my job for 10 minutes. Why? Most people I know would then ask me "Is he married?" He's married with 4 kids. (FYI if you're single and a girl you don't think of every man as someone to marry. Sometimes you can just admire someone because of who they are and what they do. Not because you have a crush on them). It's because he is my favorite customer. He cherishes every day. He lives not for money or wealth, but for other people. He motivates me.
Today he came in and informed me that his job route is changing. He no longer comes through my small town and won't be stopping in anymore. This made me sad. It made him sad too. I don't even know this man's name and I was actually distraught that he wouldn't come in anymore. I thought to myself, "Who will pay for other people's food? How will people have good days anymore?" Then I realized that it's not just him that can do these things. Why can't I do things like that every now and then? Why can't I learn from this man's example and see people more than things or money?
So as much as I will miss this man and as much as he was a stranger to me he has changed my life. He has motivated me to become a better person. It's not that he was without challenges or trials. He has had plenty of those I found out, but he has learned to love people. So help everyone out! Love them! See the people! Amen.
I work at a place that sells sandwiches and baked goods. I get to work in the morning with customers and if you have ever worked in a bakery in the early morning you learn that there are many people who come in regularly to get their daily fix of bagels, brownies, cookies, coffee, or whatever it is that they want. You get to know these people. You greet them by name and you learn what will make them smile and what will make them frown. They get to know you similarly. Then there are the regulars who aren't so regular. They come in maybe just once a week or even just once a month. But you still know them. Not by name, and you don't know a whole lot about them, just who they are and what they want. Today I speak of one of those customers. The "Tuesday Man" or as I call him, "The Ornery Man".
Some Tuesdays a man comes in and gets a sheet of pumpkin squares where I work and he always complains that the bottom of the pan is sticky. Well, 9 times out of 10 it actually is. That's what happens when you put frosting on stuff. So we wipe it down and continue on. It never stops there though. This man takes at least 10 minutes to place his order. Really?! What takes him so long? Can't he just order and then leave us be? Sometimes he even orders large amounts of things and isn't specific on what he wants. "Just put whatever on them" he once told me referring to 35 sandwiches he wanted. He sounds like the worst customer in the world right? Who does that? How can I tolerate him when he comes in some Tuesdays?
Here's how it works. What takes him 10 minutes to order is because he cares less about the stuff and the money it costs as he does about the people. He stops and actually talks to you. "How are you?" "I noticed your apron is really dirty what have you been making?" "You make how many cookies every day?" "Tell me what's going on." He sees the person helping him behind the counter as an actual person, not as some measly idiot who is only paid minimum wage because they didn't go to college and thus you can treat as an idiot. He sees YOU!
It doesn't stop at that though because there are a lot of people like that. Doesn't he get in the way of other customers if he takes 10 minutes to order? I have never once heard another customer complain about this man as they walk out the door. "I'll take care of theirs." This is what he says when he comes in. Most of the time he comes in he pays upwards of $20 for other peoples things. Just this morning a woman walked in the door while he was still ordering. He said, "Tell her it's her food is free today" and then he sat down to get out of the way. The woman ordered everything she needed and I got it all ready for her. I then explained that her food was free today. I never give the man credit I just tell them they don't owe me anything. Why would he do that? For what comes next. People get a look of wonder and amazement. At first they are slightly confused and check in their brains that it is not April Fool's Day. Then they realize I'm serious and say thank you and walk away with a smile on their face. It makes their day completely! The man always tells me, "What is a few dollars for a smile? That person is going to have a great day today. Over what? A couple of bucks! That's it!" This man does not drive a fancy car. He is not extremely wealthy. He is just a man who enjoys seeing the joy that other people experience.
So every Tuesday that this man comes in I make sure I am there to wait on him. To make all 35 sandwiches. To wipe the bottom of the pumpkin squares pan. To forget the rest of my job for 10 minutes. Why? Most people I know would then ask me "Is he married?" He's married with 4 kids. (FYI if you're single and a girl you don't think of every man as someone to marry. Sometimes you can just admire someone because of who they are and what they do. Not because you have a crush on them). It's because he is my favorite customer. He cherishes every day. He lives not for money or wealth, but for other people. He motivates me.
Today he came in and informed me that his job route is changing. He no longer comes through my small town and won't be stopping in anymore. This made me sad. It made him sad too. I don't even know this man's name and I was actually distraught that he wouldn't come in anymore. I thought to myself, "Who will pay for other people's food? How will people have good days anymore?" Then I realized that it's not just him that can do these things. Why can't I do things like that every now and then? Why can't I learn from this man's example and see people more than things or money?
So as much as I will miss this man and as much as he was a stranger to me he has changed my life. He has motivated me to become a better person. It's not that he was without challenges or trials. He has had plenty of those I found out, but he has learned to love people. So help everyone out! Love them! See the people! Amen.
