“It feels as though, with this being a big shop, that you can only comment on its essential necessities:Does it have doors that let you in and out? Tick.Does it let you buy stuff? Tick.Is it so huge that you can stay there and film entire movies without anyone knowing? Cross (Damn.)Does it make you wonder whether, if you return the trolley to the entrance area where you got yours, that you are you now trapped inside the building? Tick. (See above for important ancillary information)But it doesn't make you think about Steve?Does it?Sometimes, we don't notice Steves. We take them for granted. Steves are just there. Everywhere. Doing stuff. Doing unimportant Steve or Stephanie stuff.But we're all wrong for thinking this way.I've had the lovely fortune of meeting several Steves and Stephanies in this store, who stole my confusion from me, who redirected my misdirection, and who correctly interpreted my "I'm pretending I know what I'm doing and what I'm looking at" expressions and politely directed me to the correct aisle/physician/emergency room/tree surgeon.And also the Steve who recently helped with potting plant sizes, without being asked, and fixed a simple problem before we knew we had one. This was a bigger gesture and outcome than it might sound - I'm simpfying and obfuscating.We need to recognise the need for unexpectedly expert, kind, helpful, empathic people.”
Furniture Stores
“It feels as though, with this being a big shop, that you can only comment on its essential necessities:Does it have doors that let you in and out? Tick.Does it let you buy stuff? Tick.Is it so huge that you can stay there and film entire movies without anyone knowing? Cross (Damn.)Does it make you wonder whether, if you return the trolley to the entrance area where you got yours, that you are you now trapped inside the building? Tick. (See above for important ancillary information)But it doesn't make you think about Steve?Does it?Sometimes, we don't notice Steves. We take them for granted. Steves are just there. Everywhere. Doing stuff. Doing unimportant Steve or Stephanie stuff.But we're all wrong for thinking this way.I've had the lovely fortune of meeting several Steves and Stephanies in this store, who stole my confusion from me, who redirected my misdirection, and who correctly interpreted my "I'm pretending I know what I'm doing and what I'm looking at" expressions and politely directed me to the correct aisle/physician/emergency room/tree surgeon.And also the Steve who recently helped with potting plant sizes, without being asked, and fixed a simple problem before we knew we had one. This was a bigger gesture and outcome than it might sound - I'm simpfying and obfuscating.We need to recognise the need for unexpectedly expert, kind, helpful, empathic people.”