False Faces

It's something you don't pick up on unless you've been in my line of work for a period of time.

I work in a supermarket deli. You know the drill...cutting meats and cheeses for the masses. Well, having worked in a large variety of customer service-oriented jobs, I've learned the subtle (and many times not-so-subtle) nuances of the strange creature often called the "customer".

Here is an example of one such nuance, though brief may this entry be.

Oftentimes while at work, I'll take a look around my department (as I'm programmed to do, like a good little worker) and I'll meet the gaze of some customer who will smile at me.

At first, I thought this display of friendliness was just that: a display of friendliness. It wasn't until I spent more time amidst the consumers that I found this to be untrue.

No. When the customers smile at you like that, you can bet good money that they'll immediately walk over and expect you to drop what you're doing and take care of their needs. Don't get me wrong, faithful readers, and misunderstand this as a rant against having to work in a customer-oriented profession. No, this goes much deeper.

It just irritates me that these displays of amiability are merely ploys to lure me into a false sense of comfort so I'll hopefully feel better about having demands barked at me. Clearly, now having the experience I do, I don't see a customer's smile as warm and inviting but rather annoying and disenchanting.

But then I was proven wrong. The other day, a customer smiled at me and approached the counter in normal fashion. However, instead of waiting for me to come over and fill their order, the person merely looked about and walked away.

This meant their smile was genuine. A sincere display from a sincere person.

This goes to show that one should not always condemn all based on the actions of most. Live and learn, right?