I just got this hilarious email from Dean Langsam:
Hi. I’m Dean, a casual follower.
I work at a military base. The base has two entrances, one to the north and one to the south. The entrances have guards – regular soldiers who have other jobs but once every few month they have this guard duty for a week.
Let me tell you it is a CRAPPY duty, but it must be done. Most soldiers hate it and show it, telling you “good day” with out really meaning it.
But today, I showed my credentials to the soldier, and he replied “Good day sir, thank you for choosing the northern entrance”. It was funny and made my day nicer, his day nicer and I’m sure it had a positive effect on many people.
It was wonderful.
That is just awesome :)
Have you ever had a similar interaction with someone who went out of their way to create a little happiness in their job? I’d love to hear your story.
I was once on one of these extra-long buses with a bend in the middle like a harmonica. When we arrived at a bus station halfway through the route, the driver made the following announcement:
“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for riding with [bus company] today. At the next station, the rear compartment will only go as far as the next station. Passengers in the direction of [final destination] are requested to transfer to the front compartment before the next station.”
It is exactly the same message that we hear in trains, where it does make sense to detach a compartment. But this type of bus cannot detach it’s rear compartment. A lot of people in the back looked very confused, while the bus driver was laughing in the front. Made my day!
I have about an hour long commute, by train, every morning. The conductors are required to announce each station as we come to it and run through a spiel reminding people to take care. Usually this is done in a bored voice to people who have already heard it a thousand (literally) times before.
Quite often the train runs at least a little late, but sometimes we get a good run through the network. There is one conductor who, in these cases, apologises as we come into the final (city) station for the train being early and assuring everyone that it won’t happen again. It always gets a laugh and lightens the mood.