The Good Listener


For those who do not know me, I think I am a pretty nice guy, but I can be a bit of a grouch. I work in an auto parts store and sometimes our customers, Lord love ‘em, get frustrated because they do not know what they want. Or they are afraid they are facing some huge repair bill and want me to come up with something magical to fix their problem. Sometimes when they leave, I’m glad to see them go and I have something sarcastic to say about them.
I was finishing a sale with a customer the other day when another gentleman walked in. My co-worker was not busy, but the new customer seemed to be waiting for me. He approached my counter, and in a very low voice began to tell me what he wanted. I am a little hard of hearing, so I leaned forward and asked him to repeat what he said. I watched his lips as he spoke; sometimes that helps me understand. The second time he spoke, I could tell he had some sort of speech impediment.
It took a couple of seconds, but from what he was describing I figured out what sort of car he had and what part he wanted. I looked it up and went to the back to get it.
I brought it back to the counter, took it out of the box and showed it to him. The man’s eyes lit up and he pointed at the small electrical component letting me know that it was just what he needed. I smiled and began ringing up the purchase.
My customer was probably in his 60’s, clean shaven and dressed in a nice shirt and slacks with shined shoes. He also wore a tan fedora with the brim turned up all the way around. As I took his payment, he spoke again in his low, halting manner. He told me he always came to my store and waited for me to wait on him because I always listened and tried to understand what he wanted. He went on to say that the people at the other parts stores did not try to help him and often told him they could not understand him.
“ It har whe a can tawk pla…peop don wan lis…yo gu lisser…”
I just smiled and told him to come see me anytime and together we would figure out what he needed. My customer smiled, took his change and his purchase, turned and walked toward the door. As he walked out he turned and waved. It was funny; he looked as if he were standing up a little straighter than when he came in. I waved back and had not one word to say…and I felt as if I might be standing up a little straighter myself.