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On Friday, Mrs. Smith said to Lee, “I have seen you watching while I waited on
customers. Are you ready to take care of a customer? Do you have any
questions?” Lee had a few, and then Mrs. Smith said, “Good. Remember that
each customer is THE most important customer. They deserve our respect, our
attention, our service. We want them to come back because we took great care
of them. So, do what you have seen me doing, and you will be fine. OK, the next
person through the door is your first customer.” Lee smiled in anticipation and
fidgeted nervously. Soon the door jingled, and in walked Lee’s customer. “Hi,
Elinor, how are you today?” Mrs. Smith replied, “Just fine, Edna. Here is my new
assistant, Lee, all ready to serve you.” She nudged Lee toward the center of the
display area. Lee looked at her shoes and mumbled, “Hi, Mom. What are you
doing here?” Mrs. Winters, Lee’s mom, replied in a friendly but business-like
manner, “Buying nuts for the card party tonight. I ordered chips ahead. Are they
ready? I’d also like a pound of cashews and a pound of mixed nuts.” Lee
scowled, “Huh? No pistachios?” Mrs. Smith elbowed Lee toward the shelf of
ready orders, “Find the tin for Mrs. Winters.” The two women chatted as Lee
sullenly got her mother’s order together. Lee rang up the sale, letting out a big
annoyed sigh. Mrs. Winters said, “Thank you,” and left the store. Mrs. Smith
locked the front door and turned the sign to “BE BACK IN 15 MINUTES” before
she gestured Lee to follow her to the back room. She handed Lee a soda,
gestured to a seat, and said, “So, how did that go, your first customer?” Lee
sulked, “That was MOM, not a customer.” Mrs. Smith responded, “That was Mrs.
Winters, one of my best customers. Lee, you will know a lot of people who come
in this store. What if it’s Mr. Legget, the neighbor you don’t like? Or a friend of
yours from school, Susan, or someone else you do like? Each customer deserves
your respect, your attention, and your service. Answer my question, please. How
did you do with your first customer?” Lee crumpled into a little pile and whined,
“I did just awful. I wasn’t glad to see her and she knew it. I forgot to ask her if