It is story time few years ago I
worked in a family business. We had a lot of regulars, and I really enjoyed the
customers — except for this one woman. She was awful, hateful, rude and just a
jerk. One day I was talking to one of my co-workers when we saw Mrs. Wonderful
pull up in front of the store. The other worker said to me, “We should kick her
bitchy ass out.” I don’t know what made me do it but I said “No, let’s kill her
with kindness.” I ran over and immediately started handpicking the three pounds
of chocolate mint ice cream that she purchased every time she came in. She hit
the door, frowning. I had it weighed, bagged and rung up before she got to the
register. I handed it to her, she took it, turned and left. Not a word.
The same thing happened for
weeks. It sort of became a game for us, to see if we could get it ready before
she got to the front door from her car. Finally one day I said, “You can’t have
it until you prove to me that you have teeth.” She looked very angry and said,
“WHAT?” I was taken aback and replied, “You never smile; smile at me.” She
glared and gave me a death head smile, no happiness or humor, just teeth. I
thought, oh crap. But she took her ice cream and left. She didn’t come back in
for a couple of weeks and I thought it was my fault — I had run off a customer
by being rude. I felt really bad.
Then one day she came in and
said, “I have to thank you girls. Every time I stopped here you were all so
nice to me and I was dreadful. You see, I was taking the ice cream to my
husband who was dying in the hospital and the only thing he wanted to eat was
chocolate mint ice cream. I was so distraught every time I arrived here that I
know I was awful. You all made it so much easier for me with your consideration
and kindness. I don’t think I could have taken it if it hadn’t been for you
girls.” We were floored.
From her I learned, at the age of
27, that you never know what’s going on in someone else’s life. So just be kind.
That jerk tail-gating you, just pull over and let him by; he may have a hurt
child in the car. That asshole who took your parking spot may have just buried
his wife. You just never know — and kindness costs you nothing.
PS.
This story has no relation to any people you may know J
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