Have you ever felt that thrill that comes from feeling just a little more connected to the people in your world? I hear lots of complaint about the faceless globalized world, but lately, I've started relishing the places where a personal touch persists.
At the coffee shop where I meet with various people at least once a week, it's so much fun to know and be recognized by the folks behind the counter. To greet them by name and chat while steeping my tea.
My roommate recently went to the corner store two days in a row. The cashier saw that she was buying the same kind of beer again the second day and said, "It's good stuff, eh?"
This morning I got what I assumed was a form e-mail, sent from my regional bank corporation back home. They were inquiring about recent activity on my debit card (plane tickets to Hong Kong apparently look out of the norm for me!) and requested a call to clear things up. So I called and punched the numbers in the automated directory and a woman answered and asked what I needed. I told her about the email and she asked who sent it. I told her the name and she said, "Oh, that's me." How often does THAT happen??? I'm not talking small-town Tennessee bank office--- this is a bank with branches all over the southeast. I was surprised and happy and I gave my bank extra points for giving me a sense of being known.
I know small towns feel stifling to some people-- they don't want others to know their stuff, their past, their buying habits. However, I would say that it's much more frightening to have NO ONE know your past, your purchases, and your pastimes. There's a buzz of happiness that comes with recognition and being acknowledged. Apparently all I have to do is make a strange enough purchase with my debit card.
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