PUDDLEWACKY

Daily Amusing #13:  People Who Act Like They Have the Best Job in the World, Even if You Don't Think So


You know that middle-aged waitress at the diner out on Route Whatever that always remembers your name, what you usually like and calls you Darlin'?  Yeah, her.  She's one of those people.  You know she's probably tired and that various customers throughout the day have treated her like crap, acted like she's nobody important or been unnecessarily rude to her because they have some hair across their arses about random issues of their own that have nothing to do with her.  


But, none of that matters.  You walk in, she smiles and hollers out your name and immediately brings you a big steaming cup of your favorite flavor of coffee with just enough 2% milk and two Splendas, cuz she knows that's what you like.  


Out on Route 108, going toward Rumford, there's a construction guy that I adore.  He's an older gentleman as is evidenced by the grizzled gray of his facial hair and the slightly expanded middle.  The crew has been working out there for a couple of months now on gods-know-what while he stands around in his bright orange gear in the open air in 30, 20, teen-degree weather on a piece of road where cars tend to go very fast.  He's the guy who hold the STOP/SLOW sign on the way toward Rumford.  


The first time I drove out that way, I got the STOP side of the sign.  He consulted his radio, turned the sign around to the SLOW side, flashed a subtly chivalrous smile and mimed tipping his hat to me as I passed.  I smiled and bowed me head in return as I drove by.  I thought it might just have been a fluke because people frequently respond in unique ways to the sight of my car (I drive a lime-green VW NewBeetle).  However, on my way back, I had to stop and wait for the cars heading toward Rumford.  I watched SignGuy gallantly salute every single vehicle that passed by him as if he were some sort of priest of the highway blessing the travelers along their journeys.


When I catch myself being cranky, I think of him and smile. You can do that too, now, if you want.