Make someone smile

[steelyman]

Tax Day made me remember this. Sometime in the mid-90s, I wound up at the post office on Tax Day at 11pm to get taxes (not mine) mailed on time. There was a crazy long line.

One of the P.O. people was wearing an Uncle Sam "I Want You!" suit and walking the line with two bags of candy bars she was passing out for free. You had to tell her if you were getting a "Payday" or "Zero" bar.

Small gesture, but made a big difference!

 

[powerplay]

Tax Day made me remember this. Sometime in the mid-90s, I wound up at the post office on Tax Day at 11pm to get taxes (not mine) mailed on time. There was a crazy long line.

One of the P.O. people was wearing an Uncle Sam "I Want You!" suit and walking the line with two bags of candy bars she was passing out for free. You had to tell her if you were getting a "Payday" or "Zero" bar.

Small gesture, but made a big difference!

That's cute! Maybe helped take the edge off all the waiting in line.

 

[steelyman]

That's cute! Maybe helped take the edge off all the waiting in line.

It was. That's the only time I ever experienced April 15th trauma at the post office. It was like being in a chain gang! But she turned (most) all of us into Cool Hand Luke.

 

[splitwdw]

That was nice. Usually the only thing I get when standing in line is someone complaining "what's taking so long".

 

[ohyes]

Love this.

Although I seldom think of ways to make folks smile. I certainly appreciate the efforts of others. Their gestures can change one's day.

 

[Elbata]

That is cool.

I'm finding more in life it's the little things that make me smile. Watching children play, hanging out with my dog, stuff like that makes me happy.

 

[BTravlin]

Very nice and she has a great sense of humor.

 

[Amethyst]

Just smiling at people often gets them to smile back. It seems to work best if you smile at people your own age, or very little kids and babies.

 

[braumeister]

I do this sort of thing nearly every day.
I hardly ever have a spoken interaction with a stranger (cashier, clerk, whatever) that I don't try to turn into an opportunity to make the person smile (preferably laugh, but I'll settle for a grin).

OK, sometimes I fail, but I'll bet I succeed at least 75% of the time, and it always makes my day (to say nothing of what it might do for the other person).

 

[haha]

Just smiling at people often gets them to smile back. It seems to work best if you smile at people your own age, or very little kids and babies.

I am out walking about frequently. it seems that older men do not smile much, at least around here. I find that young parents, especially Moms, and young people in general smile more on the street-especially people from say 25-50. Of course there are not many older men around where I live.

Young working class men who are doing a job also frequently return or initiate greetings and smiles. The prototypical software guy doesn't smile.

Ha

 

[steelyman]

Just smiling at people often gets them to smile back. It seems to work best if you smile at people your own age, or very little kids and babies.

The medical community should come up with a drug to make people of all ages as giddy as those kids!

I think Ha's observation is right: the post-50 crowd seem prone to go into curmudgeon-land.

 

[haha]

The medical community should come up with a drug to make people of all ages as giddy as those kids!

I think Ha's observation is right: the post-50 crowd seem prone to go into curmudgeon-land.

I have thought about this. I think at least some older people are not curmudgeonly, just not confident that their friendly gesture will be returned. And that can feel too much like rejection, and there is often already plenty rejection in their lives.

 

[steelyman]

I have thought about this. I think at least some older people are not curmudgeonly, just not confident that their friendly gesture will be returned. And that can feel too much like rejection, and there is often already plenty rejection in their lives.

That's understandable. Well, that post office Uncle Sam (Samantha?) didn't let that stop her. There were some pretty angry people there, she just pushed on full steam ahead. I thought "way to be!".

Even the best hitters don't hit .400!

 

[Amethyst]

Oh, that is not my experience at all. Older men almost always return my smile. Perhaps they think I am trying to pick them up.

Women my age look surprised, and then half-smile. They are wondering if they've met me somewhere.

Twenty- and thirty-somethings look away. They are probably afraid I may ask them for something.

Teenagers off by themselves (groups of teens are a different matter) return my smile. Sometimes in a very rewarding way (big grin). I suspect teenagers secretly think adults don't like them, and are pleased to find that at least one adult does.

Amethyst

I am out walking about frequently. it seems that older men do not smile much, at least around here. I find that young parents, especially Moms, and young people in general smile more on the street-especially people from say 25-50. Of course there are not many older men around where I live.

Young working class men who are doing a job also frequently return or initiate greetings and smiles. The prototypical software guy doesn't smile.

Ha

 

[steelyman]

Oh, that is not my experience at all. Older men almost always return my smile. Perhaps they think I am trying to pick them up.

Amethyst

I haven't had any older men trying to pick me up, but I did get a Zero Bar!

 

[imoldernu]

Probably wouldn't have done this in my younger days, but I not only smile, but talk to people wherever I am in a situation like standing in line or anywhere that puts me into more than "walking past" the other person.
Maybe because of small town, or maybe because of surprise, almost always get a response, and often get into extended discussions.
Most people are pretty nice.

 

[gardenfun]

I do this sort of thing nearly every day.
I hardly ever have a spoken interaction with a stranger (cashier, clerk, whatever) that I don't try to turn into an opportunity to make the person smile (preferably laugh, but I'll settle for a grin).

OK, sometimes I fail, but I'll bet I succeed at least 75% of the time, and it always makes my day (to say nothing of what it might do for the other person).

+1

And I find myself doing this way more often than when I was w*rking. I'm so mellow now in RE, and not in a rush anymore, that I really enjoy trying to make someone smile.

Yesterday at our local family-owned grocery store, I made the cashier smile by saying "I wouldn't be here on the day before Easter except that I ran out of toilet paper."

 

[haha]

Oh, that is not my experience at all. Older men almost always return my smile. Perhaps they think I am trying to pick them up.

Women my age look surprised, and then half-smile. They are wondering if they've met me somewhere.

Amazing. I guess sex still matters.

Ha

 

[Nemo2]

I do this sort of thing nearly every day.
I hardly ever have a spoken interaction with a stranger (cashier, clerk, whatever) that I don't try to turn into an opportunity to make the person smile (preferably laugh, but I'll settle for a grin).

OK, sometimes I fail, but I'll bet I succeed at least 75% of the time, and it always makes my day (to say nothing of what it might do for the other person).

Wow...I could've written this...it's exactly what I (try to) do, with the hope that it slightly brightens up someone's workday if only for a fleeting moment.

 

[steelyman]

Thank you Nemo2 for getting us back on track (and for making someone smile).

 

[grasshopper]

I live in a world where men still tip their hat and say howdy, where you wave at cars going past you on the highway, whether you know them or not. Shopping days are at the Mexican border, Good morning, hola, buenos días, or just bueno, is said by me to everyone I pass in a store. In such a close knit community, that person may be helping me to change a flat tire, or picking out a good jicama. It pays to be friendly.

 

[steelyman]

I remembered to pick up a birthday card to mail to an old friend who's got a birthday next month (no e-cards around here!).

I love it, it's a photo of a diapered baby wearing Ray-Bans. The inside says:

"Happy Birthday to someone who has probably been cool forever".

 

[steelyman]

The card arrived this weekend (he's in a different state, but is our lead guitarist which merits special attention). He loved it!

Do it. It's back-to-work day tomorrow for many, but make someone smile. You'll smile too