LOVE, Kloudiia

I was dining at Sushi Tei the other day with my sister and a friend. The food was satisfying, as usual, and I was glad that the standards have remained. When it was time for dessert, we ordered a serving of salt ice-cream to share among us.

The waiter with a crew cut and a round face came and placed the small ceramic bowl with the snowy ball of ice-cream tucked in on our table. We asked for two more spoons, and very soon he came with them. Sticking the two spoons into the bowl, he was about to rush off when both of them dropped out of the bowl and landed onto the table. He picked them up and stuck each of them in again, and turned to dash off, when one of it fell again, with the other spoon dangling dangerously until I took it and poked it safely in the bowl. With his body almost away from the table and his hand remaining over our table, he picked that one up and stuck it into the bowl, and turned to hurry off when it came out again. This time, my friend caught hold of the falling fellow and told the waiter it’s okay, we got it. He smiled and rushed off.

‘Is he in such a hurry?’ I asked. Well, he certainly looked like he was, because he scurried to our table and scurried away so hurriedly that he couldn’t spare a minute to place the spoons properly into the bowl. He just couldn’t spare that time, it seemed.

I wouldn’t lie and say that I’m happy with such a service, especially when I’m dining at a restaurant, paying for the 10% service charge and was served by a waiter who had got no time for us. Another lady also refilled our cups of tea and hot water with not a hint of smile  on her face. It was like she had been robbed of happiness and it was most unfortunate that we had to be there to witness it.

What is my point? It’s not really to complain about the kind of service that I got, but to relate this to our own behaviour. How many times have we, ourselves, promised someone to do something and we did a lacklustre job? We then gave reasons that we’ve got no time, and it is almost a miracle that we can get it done somehow, without breaking our back. But, is that a real and valid reason? If you’ve got no time, then why agree to do it in the first place? And if you’ve agreed, shouldn’t you put in your best and do a good job? I think that’s what you owe that person in the least. If you can’t perform to a certain standard, then maybe you should let it be known early on or tell them that at this point of time, you simply wouldn’t be able to give this commitment.

When you’ve given a commitment to do it, then give this task the due respect and attention it deserves. Finish it within the time you promised to get it done for your friend.

Be it your job, or a favour that you’re doing for someone, give the best you can if you’ve said you would.  In this way, you’ll always appreciate yourself for the difference you’ve made by putting in that attention and time, rather than doing a slipshod task and neither you nor the other person feel that it’s a job well done. Have pride in what you do, and show it with the results.

Put in 100%. Make your effort worth, and make a splash.