Be Nice, Just Ask

I’ve often said to my son, that a smile, a bit of kindness and simply asking when you’re in need can’t hurt and often has a very happy outcome.  People are usually nice if you give them an opportunity to be nice. 

A few cases to the point: We checked into our hotel in Cleveland to find we three were in a one-bed room. The Manager already having told us that the inn was full. He was clearly a nice guy and we were disappointed but pleasant...’Cause shit happens and if you can’t control the situation, you change your thinking or wallow in misery. Once we got into to the too-tiny-room, my daughter and wife’s demeanours were, uh, deflated. Wife was quite quiet and the girl said with sarcasm, “I’ll just sleep in the tub.”  I said, “Don’t settle in. I’m going to go talk to the front desk.”

At the front desk, just as I began to plead our case, the manager says, “Give me 15 minutes and I can move you to a room with two beds.  One just came free.” Thank you serendipity. 

Case to the point two: I decide to walk to a Starbucks a long block from the hotel. It’s pouring rain. I almost step out of the awning’s protection with my not so water resistant jacket and then think, ‘hmm, can’t hurt to ask...’  Walk to the front desk and sheepishly ask if perhaps, maybe, they have an umbrella to lend a guest down on his luck. Turquoise, lady at the front desk, turns quickly around, ducks into a vestibule and returns with a honking big golfer’s umbrella!  I say, “That’s an umbrella made to make a short man proud.”  She smiles and says, “Bring it back whenever you get back.” Thank you impulsivity!

Case to the point three:  Starbucks. I get my order,  settle into a club chair and realize that reading with the music so loud just is not working for me. Before I stand, I think, “what’s the worst that can happen?”  And so I ask. Politely. The barista is only too happy to turn the music down a bit: “Oh, yeah yeah sure.” I thank her and go back to Archie Bunker’s seat, settle in, eat cake and sip my coffee and no one is worse off for the asks.  Thank you hard-won-cranky-pant old-fart courage.