As the world spins and as I
grow older, the more I’m convinced the American worker has lost pride and the
ability to strive for excellence. Okay, I admit, at times I’m a perfectionist,
a little over the top in being highly organized. And yes, I do have a checkbook
that balances right to the penny. But the office where I write is a little
messy, so that drops me from an A+ personality to an A- one, I guess.
The other evening my husband
and I went to what I formerly considered a nice restaurant--and out of kindness,
I will not reveal its name. The only way to describe the experience was less
than stellar. It was not overcrowded. There were plenty of hired help to wait
on tables, and it was early in the evening, prior to the rush hour.
So what was the problem? The
glass of wine I ordered came in a dirty glass. The soup I ordered never came
with the meal. In fact, it never came at all. My husband’s ordered a more
expensive, more extensive seafood platter and was served the early bird special
with less items on the plate. I forgot my black long-sleeved over shirt on the
seat when I left, and low and behold, when my husband went back sometime later to
check. . .it was still there. No one obviously checks the seat when they bus
the tables which means if the seat is dirty, it will stay that way for the next
customer.
What happened in this restaurant
is happening all over in America. Everyone is just trying to get it done, not
caring whether it’s done right, done with pride, or with a care for excellence.
Someone said not to sweat the small stuff. But isn’t it the accumulation of
little things that make the total experience? Isn’t it the sum of all the
little things we do every day with an eye for excellence and with a pleasurable
attitude that leads to perfection in our work. . .and in our service to others?
I believe writers have the same
obligation to their audience as any other worker in any other occupation. But
that’s a topic for next time.
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