My latest post is up at the Vox Pop Network. Titled Four Star Hospitality, it is about my recent dining experience at Salty’s on Alki, and how it inspired me to be friendlier. Here is an excerpt:
And when I say they smiled and greeted us, I’m not just referring to a pass-by smile on their way to the kitchen. The food prep cooks called out to us from over the counter; waiters stopped collecting their plates to smile and say hello; a bus boy stopped his work, turned from his table, and greeted us as we walked by; a second hostess on her way back to the podium stepped aside, smiled, and said hello.
I wrote this one pretty quickly and in very few drafts. In fact, I think my initial free-write was pretty dern close to what I published, save the ending. I generally have a difficult time ending an essay like this one without putting it in a cute little box with a neat bow on top. It irks me when things feel that ‘wrapped up.’
I also had a slight challenge with tone. At one point I realized I was getting preachy, in a You Should Really Be Doing This Better kind of way. That irks me too, so I had to bring it back around to me and my own experience. And then I have to walk that fine line between telling a story from my perspective versus making it all about me.
I hope I succeeded in the first thing.
We went to Alki when we lived here the first time, for nine months, when I was 10. Our waiter’s name was Bruno and we had the most memorable dining experience I’ve ever had. It was fancy, fun, and they were do very nice to us minors. Glad to hear they’re still running the same operation.