people watching

If I had to sum up my reasons for loving my job, I think what I love most is the people I meet. People are the most interesting creatures on this beautiful planet! Each person is so different from another. Everyone has a different appearance, style, personality... you name any trait, and someone out there has it. With a huge overturn of people touring the shop I work in every day, I think I get to see a fair number of people that are running around out there.

In a matter of a week’s time, I would guess that I meet people from at least 20 states, and 4 or 5 countries. Americans are particularly interesting because there is such a vast number of cultures and ethnic groups that live here in the United States. When you compare the size of a European country to the United States, the size difference is incredible! Each of our states is big enough to be a country on its own. (A few could be more than one country! For example, MI is enough to be three countries. The “UP” [upper peninsula] could be one, the majority of the lower peninsula is another, and Detroit and its suburbs is the third—or at least politically that’s how it appears to be when voting time comes ‘round. And Detroit carries us all through.) As an American, I’m used to the concept of a big country. I look at a map and I see our entire country and I know that it is all part of the United State, but when I travel, it is amazing to see how different each region of the country is. The number of subcultures is incredible within this single country. Sometimes, I’m not sure if I really am in the same country as I travel.

A great challenge to me as I meet all these people from various parts of the country is to be able to relate to them somehow. If I can strike up a conversation of some sort, it is a great first step to building a relationship with a potential customer. Even if I don’t make a sale, the reputation of the business is still there to be up-held, and a good salesperson is friends with anyone who walks in the door. As I meet all these people, I find it interesting to guess within the first 3 or 4 seconds where I think they are from and then later ask them to see how close I was. (I’m very good at knowing people from nearby states such as Indiana, Illinois, and Ohio. I also can usually tell when someone is from Tennessee, Texas, or California. For some reason, those states are easier to recognize for me.)

As I people watch, I find myself keeping track of things like general politeness. After each child receives a sample of chocolate, their parent will always ask, “What do you say to the man?” A half-hearted, full-mouthed reply comes back, “thank you.” After they said it, you have to windex the glass because of the chocolate saliva that just sprayed, but that’s ok. Another thing I watch for is how many people drop their sample on the floor and try to pick it up. If they pick it up, they are going to expect me to take it in my hand—and then get them their next sample. Gross!! (I usually laugh and tell them that “the shop dog will come get it. You can leave it on the floor.” 2 minutes later, my smirking, panting assistant sweeps it up with our “yellow corvette” [aka the broom].)

Style or fashion is fascinating. I rarely notice people who are dressed well merely because that’s “normal.” But abnormalities, such as tourists wearing sweatpants in 90 degree weather, I notice that. I am always curious to see what kind of personality prefers to wear thick, heavy clothing in hot, humid weather. My favorite thing to watch for is hats. I rarely wear a hat, but when I am traveling around and spending a lot of time in the sun, I will wear one sometimes. I usually sport my orange Detroit Tigers hat. I feel pretty normal in that. (All normal people are fans of the Detroit Tigers, right?) It seems that baseball caps are a fad that is fading out though. It used to be that everyone that wore a hat was wearing a baseball style cap with the name of the resort they stayed at last summer. My favorite is seeing elderly ladies who are more of a “straw hat style” wearing a baseball cap. It seems to add a certain spunk to their personality. It always makes me smile inside.

Lastly, I enjoy hearing what customers say to my coworkers at the counter. Most of their comments are very predictable and we hear them many times a day. Dieting is a major trend right now (in case you didn’t know). I have yet to understand how someone is going to gain 5 pounds from one sample, but there are many ladies who are certain they will. Many elderly people who come through often cannot have candy because they are either diabetic or they have fragile teeth that they cannot use to chew nuts. There was a gentleman in the shop today that told my assistant something about the fudge that was very interesting I thought. He said “when you’re young you can’t afford it, but when you’re old you can’t eat it.” So true!! While I know we have a quality product, I’m not sure if right after I graduate from college that I would be able to afford fudge when it is not necessary to life. (Or is it??) Either way, as a salesperson, while it’s tempting to prey on the “middle aged” people, I will continue to serve all ages at the counter.

Sometimes it can be hard to work with so many different people who are from different cultures. Trying to connect and not say anything that would do less than improve your relationship can be exciting at times. I must say, when working with customers from England, I use my best English grammar. No slang allowed. I have been corrected by many English men and women who seem to think that Americans butcher their beautiful language. It often will make me think back to one of my favorite musicals, My Fair Lady, where Professor Higgins complains about the English people’s usage of their own language. Upon reflection, he thinks of the fact that they haven’t used the English language in America for years. Perhaps there is an element of truth to that… So I will adapt to the language of whoever comes to speak to me as they tour.

“Being an American is a spectator sport.”