Monday, October 27, 2014

What a Jerk, Not a Jerk

Why is it that girl's just can't accept a compliment from their boyfriends/husbands/significant others? Is there a difference between a stranger telling you how pretty you are and your boyfriend telling you that you look stunning? Personally, I think there is, but only on a very deep, paranoid level.

I work on my University campus at a small convenience store near the medical building. Most of our customers are staff, though dormers come through pretty often too. Now, our uniforms can be described with two very simple words: NOT FLATTERING. We wear black t-shirts, tiny half-aprons, a black visor, and jeans with chunky, black non-slip shoes. (Personally I think the all black attire was meant to help us hate our job in the desert heat because our store is outside). My hair is always up in a messy bun and we aren't allowed to do our nails or wear dangling jewelery. I'm also not really the 'wake up super early to "put on my face" and do my hair' kind of girl either. Most of the pick-up lines that come my way are on social networking sites like facebook or Instagram, because pictures are so much nicer than my real face apparently.

So it's a Wednesday, one of my longest days, and I'm trying my best to keep up a smile and make every customer feel welcome (we don't get too busy so connecting with customers is a priority). A customer walks to my register and I flash him a simple smile and ask him how he's doing today.

     "Wow, what a smile! You have the smile that could make someone's day," he says.

HOLY MOLY! I've NEVER heard anyone say that to me, especially looking like I just crawled out of a dark closet dressed by my blind wardrobe adviser. It took me by surprised, and naturally, made me smile more. I held a conversation with this customer for a few minutes, and properly thanked him for his kind comment and transaction. Can you guess what kind of day I had?

I had a great day. I kept my smile for the next 7 hours of my shift, even while my managers outwardly complained about their day to their customers. I received 3 more compliments that day about my shining personality and genuinely happy attitude.

Completely off topic, but see how ONE compliment can help to brighten someone's day? And in turn, that person can brighten other people's day? It's a wonderful train of happy, people! Jump on it!

 On the complete opposite end of the happy spectrum, is what happens when Alex compliments me. I become a raging bitch who won't believe that anything nice out of his mouth is anything more than obligated, sugar-coated crap. He will tell me how beautiful I look, or how every day he falls more and more in love with me, and my only response is something along the lines of "Yeah, sure."

Why don't I believe him? Would I believe him more if we weren't dating? Is it that I believe that he's now only "supposed" to tell me these things as opposed to before when he was "just trying to get in my pants"? Oh the inner turmoil. Why can't things just be simple again.

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