Skyespace

Be Nice

It seems like there has been an increase in the number of grouchy people out there lately. Don’t get me wrong – I read the news. I know there are a lot of good reasons for folks to forgo niceties when they’re trying to figure out how to put food on the table and so forth. But I was at Fred Meyer the other day and as I walked through the garden center, I witnessed an angry customer reduce a cashier to tears. TO TEARS?!! The chick wasn’t even working, she was walking through the garden center to go on her break and this bitch just totally unloaded on her because she was tired of waiting for help. OK, I’ve been there. We all have. But number one, who in their right mind thinks going to the garden center on one of the first nice days of spring is going to be quick and expedient? And secondly, when someone is on break, there really isn’t much they can do to help in any case. (We have these labor laws that allow people to take breaks and lunches.)

I don’t know, maybe this woman never worked or at least never worked retail and MAYBE she was just having a bad day but really, that’s no excuse. I end with an Ani lyric and dedicate it to everyone who just needs to suck it up and be nice.

pixie

i'm a pixie i'm a paperdoll i'm a cartoon
i'm a chipper cheerful free for all and i light up a room
i'm the color me happy girl miss live and let live
and when they're out for blood i always give
the man behind the counter looks like he's got

a half a dozen places he'd rather be
and furthermore it looks like he's prepared
to take it all out on me
buddy, i don't really care what your problem is
just don't make it mine
come on kids, let's all hold hands
and pretend we're having a good time

maybe you don't like your job
maybe you didn't get enough sleep
well, nobody likes their job
nobody got enough sleep
maybe you just had
the worst day of your life
but, you know, there's no escape
and there's no excuse
so just suck up and be nice