Tiny Smiles
Jan. 27th, 2008 10:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
arrowwhiskersSo this evening, after being kicked out of Stetson because I ran in to get tea just as it was closing, I decided I actually wanted real dinner. The most sensical option turned out to be Au Bon Pain, so I went in, grit my teeth, and pretended the food looked edible.
After I settled on a promising looking salad, I presented it to the guy who was working the register. He didn't speak English very well, and it took me several tries to convey to him that I wanted a packet of ranch dressing and wheat bread to go with it. When he finally brought everything back to the counter, I noticed that his nametag said something almost unfathomable in English phonetics...Kchitij, I think. So I asked him how to pronounce his name...and it was odd. He answered me (it was somthing like "Shitish"), but then also smiled slightly and looked at me as though he actually saw me for the first time. He rang up my salad and nodded in farewell, wishing me a good night, the smile lingering on his face the whole time.
I didn't think much of it beforehand, but now I really do wonder just how many people have even noticed his name tag. His demeanor seemed earnestly changed after I asked, as though I had legitimized him in some rare way, and in turn he returned the sentiment to me.
It just occurs to me that if everyone would make an effort to consciously try not to objectify people in terms of their place in society; ie. that's just a server at that store, then maybe work ethic would improve and the workforce would generally be happier.
Unfortunately, it's kind of hard to change such basic attitudes of society.
After I settled on a promising looking salad, I presented it to the guy who was working the register. He didn't speak English very well, and it took me several tries to convey to him that I wanted a packet of ranch dressing and wheat bread to go with it. When he finally brought everything back to the counter, I noticed that his nametag said something almost unfathomable in English phonetics...Kchitij, I think. So I asked him how to pronounce his name...and it was odd. He answered me (it was somthing like "Shitish"), but then also smiled slightly and looked at me as though he actually saw me for the first time. He rang up my salad and nodded in farewell, wishing me a good night, the smile lingering on his face the whole time.
I didn't think much of it beforehand, but now I really do wonder just how many people have even noticed his name tag. His demeanor seemed earnestly changed after I asked, as though I had legitimized him in some rare way, and in turn he returned the sentiment to me.
It just occurs to me that if everyone would make an effort to consciously try not to objectify people in terms of their place in society; ie. that's just a server at that store, then maybe work ethic would improve and the workforce would generally be happier.
Unfortunately, it's kind of hard to change such basic attitudes of society.
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no subject
Date: 2008-01-28 06:37 am (UTC)Same time though, when people don't try to be more than their objects, it's difficult not to objectify them. Seems like it works two ways.
It also makes me want to hear a new story. Guess I better start breaking personal bubbles lol.