"I like your outfit! Those greens look really cute together."
Not the first words I was expecting to hear out of the cashier at McDonald's. After much deliberation about how counter-intuitive it seemed to stop for a McDonald's milkshake after doing yoga for two straight days, I did it. I pulled off I-29 and parked, so I could stretch my legs while ordering my McShake.
"Thank you!" I said, surprised and touched. "I wasn't expecting it to go well together, but then I was surprised."
"Yeah, it looks really good!" she said with the sweetest smile. "Well, I can take your order. I mean, whenever you're ready."
"Thank you, but I'm not ready yet. I'm trying to decide which ice cream I want." Dipped cones? I didn't know McDonald's had dipped cones!
"I really like to get the sundae, then put the apple pie in it. Hot and cold in every bite!" This girl was genius! Too bad the pie wasn't gluten free...
I finally decided on the milkshake. She mentioned, "Sometimes, I wonder how our prices compare to other McDonald's around the country. You know, like are we cheaper?" The way she said it made me wonder if she'd been out of her small town. I suddenly felt self-conscious. I didn't want to say anything to make me sound like some crazy world traveler. Instead I mentioned Chicago, and how the McDonald's I went to there didn't have a dollar menu, so I was pretty sure she was right on target.
There was just something about her ease, her honest friendliness. I wanted to stay and talk to her for hours, she reminded me of a little sister. It was so genuine and refreshing. I searched for a name on her shirt, but saw none.
As I climbed back in my car, I felt different somehow, more full. What a great interaction, I thought. The milkshake was a small price to pay for a few minutes of rare connection with a stranger.
Not the first words I was expecting to hear out of the cashier at McDonald's. After much deliberation about how counter-intuitive it seemed to stop for a McDonald's milkshake after doing yoga for two straight days, I did it. I pulled off I-29 and parked, so I could stretch my legs while ordering my McShake.
"Thank you!" I said, surprised and touched. "I wasn't expecting it to go well together, but then I was surprised."
"Yeah, it looks really good!" she said with the sweetest smile. "Well, I can take your order. I mean, whenever you're ready."
"Thank you, but I'm not ready yet. I'm trying to decide which ice cream I want." Dipped cones? I didn't know McDonald's had dipped cones!
"I really like to get the sundae, then put the apple pie in it. Hot and cold in every bite!" This girl was genius! Too bad the pie wasn't gluten free...
I finally decided on the milkshake. She mentioned, "Sometimes, I wonder how our prices compare to other McDonald's around the country. You know, like are we cheaper?" The way she said it made me wonder if she'd been out of her small town. I suddenly felt self-conscious. I didn't want to say anything to make me sound like some crazy world traveler. Instead I mentioned Chicago, and how the McDonald's I went to there didn't have a dollar menu, so I was pretty sure she was right on target.
There was just something about her ease, her honest friendliness. I wanted to stay and talk to her for hours, she reminded me of a little sister. It was so genuine and refreshing. I searched for a name on her shirt, but saw none.
As I climbed back in my car, I felt different somehow, more full. What a great interaction, I thought. The milkshake was a small price to pay for a few minutes of rare connection with a stranger.
These are my favorite kinds of interactions. I feel like so many people miss out on these moments, too. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI love them too. Sometimes I miss out on them myself, but I was happily there for this one.
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