Feeling the need for a bit of image change I've reverted back to an old style of mine, wearing a tie. It's really funny how such a stupid thing as a piece of cloth tied around your neck can change how people react amd interact with you.
Just wearing a tie really does change how people act around you. Since I've started wearing a a tie again my customers want to shake hands with me, people call me "sir", and folks in general talk to me differently. Pretty absurd really, but it's true.
I was greatly amused by people's reactions when I showed up at the yard wearing a tie. One dispatcher did a double take when he looked at me but at first didn't say anything, but a little while later he asked me about it. I just said "the customers like it".
My fellow drivers, being more bold, demonstrated their curiosity with humorous comments/questions, but all agreed when I explained how it made a difference in how people react to you.
It's been several days now, and it's not the first time I've run this particular experiment, but it always amazes me how people react to a piece of cloth tied around one's neck. Pretty silly really, but I am no different. I think it does look more professional and neat.
As I am here until Sunday when I have to pick up my load, I checked into the hotel and went over to Applebees for dinner. As I got there later than usual I didn't expect to see "C" there, but she was working a double shift and was there. Just seeing her gave my heart a bit of a lift.
My joy at seeing her has nothing to do with any physical beauty but rather her personality. I suppose many people would say she is less than beautiful, I even got mad at someone who called her "horse faced" one night. But she has the most beautiful personality of anyone I have ever met (and I've written about her before).
She is always upbeat, happy, and totally positive. I find that very lovely in a person. And she always makes a point of giving me a hug whenever I stop in, and I do enjoy that hug greatly because I know she means it.
She is a positive person to the Nth degree, and I always get a bit of a boost just being around her. It's hard to not be influenced by such a positive person.
They were really busy when I stopped in and she only had a moment or two to chat with me as she served tables, but she did comment on my new look and even called me "handsome" a couple of times. That just made me laugh.
Things had slowed down by the time I was ready to leave and she had time to chat with me a bit and give me a hug. I told her that while I have traveled all over the country and visited many places around the world she was my favorite person in the world because she had such a positive personality. She seemed truly flattered and appreciative of that, telling me that was the nicest thng anyone had ever told her. I meant it and I believe she really did appreciate it as she doesn't seem to have a false bone in her body.
I don't even know why I felt the need to tell her that, but somehow I just felt the need to tell her. Perhaps, based on her reaction, she needed to hear that. Even the most positive people need a boost themselves once in a while.
Seeing her tonight gave me a bit of a positive energy boost that I needed. She is truly one of those people who can't help but have a positive influence on the people who meet her. If you've ever seen the tv show Friends, she would be Phoebe. Not exactly as she isn't as loopy, but it's the closest common reference I can come up with. Picture Phoebe riding a Harley and it might be close.
Back to the original point of this, the tie. At one point a nice looking blonde sat down at the bar next to me and placed a to go order. She struck up some conversation with me and at one point it got around to what I do for a living. When I told her I was a trucker I could see the confusion on her face as she looked at this guy sitting at the bar wearing a tie. I almost burst out laughing but controlled myself.
We had a nice conversation, and it turned out her father had driven truck for a while. Nice lady but I think she was still a bit confused when she left LOL. What can possibly be more fun that bursting people's llittle stereotype bubbles?
It's just a fracking piece of cloth.