Airports are portals of random temporariness. As strangers pass each other en-route to
their final destination lasting impressions are easily something that are not
found here. However, amidst all the fast
walking, cell phone talking, iPod listening, and internet browsing that can
often times seem like a big blur of random happenings if one looks close enough
priceless lessons can be found beneath the fast moving surface.
The Atlanta International Airport is large and in charge, a
boss among airports in the United States.
So large that I’ve never travelled through it without stressing out
about making my connecting flight on time in part to having to run from one
concourse to the next, which are far apart.
If you’ve been there you know what I am talking about. There’s a subway system that connects the
concourses to one another. Amidst all
the hustle and bustle of airports, especially a large one like Atlanta it would
be easy to think little things are of little importance and that last
impressions are foreign concepts.
Because I now live in the Midwest (originally from
Jacksonville, FL) every chance I get to indulge in something “Southern “I gladly
do so. I decided to grab something to
eat, Popeyes Chicken. Popeyes is in a
huge airport with a huge food court in one of its many concourses. Expectations are that you purchase your food,
keep your head down, find a table, eat, leave, and remain a homogenous part of
the crowd. To my surprise my
expectations were shattered and otherwise dull travelling experience enhanced. I bought my food and headed to the corner
where all the straws, napkins, and sporks were stored. I was greeted by a jolly gentleman named
Ralph who said hello and asked if I needed a table for one. I was a bit confused and didn’t want to be
rude so I said, “Yes.” Luckily for me
what happened next did so while my food was in Ralph’s hands because otherwise
I may have dropped it out of pure shock.
Ralph proceeds to say, “Let me get that for you sir, follow me,” and
takes me to a booth. I sat enthralled by
his kindness. Maybe I just looked like I
needed help or he admired my tattoos? As
I sat there for the next 30 minutes I watched Ralph float around the little
eating area greeting everyone with the same kindness. As folks left their table he would assure
them he would get their trash and wish them well on their trip. He walked to others who were eating asking if
they needed anything. I just smiled as I
watched him because I saw such great joy in his work that most would consider
not much. So I call him over and ask him
his name. I extend my hand I tell him I
really appreciate what he is doing and that I’ve never had such a good
experience in all my travels, and then I asked who his manager was. I go find his manager, Jim, and tell him the
same, which hopefully was refreshing because I could only imagine in an airport
food court that most people only want to complain when talking to a
manager. I walked away hoping others
would do the same and fill Ralph and Jim with encouragement all day, but was
also left with their fingerprints embedded in my mind.
Ralph makes maybe $8.50-10 an hour and definitely probably
doesn’t have benefits. He serves people all day. His attitude could be poor. Most in his position are, however, Ralph
really took ahold of his job, which really isn’t beyond cleaning up tables as
folks leave (evidenced by his coworkers walking around doing so) but he took it
to another level of excellence. Ralph is
a man I’d give a job “off the streets” when I own a company in my future. That kind of joy and work ethic is hard to
find these days and I really thought it beneficially to share this story. Have you had any experiences like this?
I’m not sure if Ralph or Jim or anyone affiliated with them
will ever see this, but I am thankful to have met them both and had that
experience.
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