Monday, May 12, 2014

A few days ago, I was working my weekend gig waiting tables in Brooklyn. During my shift, there was a table of four customers who casually asked what my name was after I had helped them with something when they first arrived at the restaurant.

Now, when they initially asked for my name, I didn't really think anything of it because they were nice and customers sometimes ask for a variety of reasons. However, what made this group of diners different was that anytime they needed something throughout their meal, instead of getting my attention by locking eye contact, motioning physically somehow or even by saying a simple "excuse me" when I was nearby, I would hear them calling out for me by my first name instead.

As someone who works in the service industry, I have to admit that yes, sometimes it can be nice when customers take the time to learn my name and address me by it. But that's only if they use it once or twice and in a discreet manner. What annoyed me about this group was one particular girl who continually would beckon me by name. After the first handful of times she did it, I got really irritated because I started to feel like I was their personal butler of some sort.

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