I went to Keells yesterday, it was a busy Sunday with lot of shoppers walking around. There was a girl offering a certain brand as samples. She politely comes close to the people who walk by and offer the sample. Reactions were epic ! Not exactly epic but pretty weird and funny. Some just ignore and walk past, some just nod their heads and walk by. Some just smile and quickly go as if she will run behind you. Some stop and look at it, some actually take it. Most of the reactions are negative. One thing I noticed, old uncles and aunties actually stop and have a look or atleast smile. Why are people so unfriendly? I mean our generation, the generation below and above, what is it makes you so stiff that you can’t bother atleast to pause and smile. I get it, everyone is busy probably running around with thousand things in their minds. Sick children, annoying boyfriends, horrible job etc etc.
This girl who spend their weekends standing in Keells with heels has a story of her own. Okay we women know how hard it is to stand in heels, imagine standing whole day in a supermarket? It isn’t as pretty as it looks. They probably want to sleep late or watch a movie too. But certain difficulties keep them doing their part time jobs to earn that extra buck or two. Maybe it is to pay for your university or support your family while studying. None of these jobs are fulltime jobs. I was working for a PR agency sometime back, if a FMCG client wants a promotion in a super market they contact their agency give the requirement, the agency look for a third party who lend these girls. So when it comes to their pay, client negotiates, the agency keeps a cut, the third party keeps a cut. So maybe she gets about Rs. 2000 paid for the job. Most of the time the client wants feedback, why they didn’t buy, how many samples given out, why no increase in sales?
So the more they sell, no she doesnt get a commission, but she might get hired for another job again soon. The client goes through photographs of these girls, then pick a face. So how much it sucks, she has to stand looking her best with a smile all day long. A rude customer can ruin her day, maybe lose her job and a good customer can definitely keep that smile on her face for a while. It is a part and parcel of being born to a middle class generation. Whichever government comes in to power and whatever President may take the reins, the life of the ordinary people, does not really change. They live their life, running a rat race to earn that extra bit of cash.
Next time, you walk in to a super market smile at that girl who says good morning, say good morning back. Take that bloody sample – doesn’t hurt. If you can offer her feedback, do it. Don’t be that person who posts about animal rights or deaths in Syria or sign up for petitions you cannot control. Help the ones you can, charity begins at home not anywhere else. Your smile can make her day. So just do it.
