t was the end of my exhausting first day as a waitress in a busy New York restaurant. My cap had gone awry, my apron was stained, and my feet ached. The loaded trays I carried felt heavier and heavier. Weary and discouraged, I didnt seem able to do anything right.
As I made out a complicated check for a family with several children who had changed their ice-cream order a dozen times, I was ready to quit.
Then the father smiled at me as he handed me tip. “Well done,” he said, “youve looked after us really well.” Suddenly my tiredness vanished. I smiled back, and later, when the manager asked me how Id liked my first day. I said, “Fine!” Those few words of praise had changed everything.
在紐約一家生意興隆的餐館做女招待的第一天就要結束了,我感到筋疲力盡。我的帽子歪了,圍裙上污跡斑斑,雙腳疼痛難忍,手上端的盛著食物的托盤感覺越來越重。我既疲倦又沮喪,似乎什么事情都沒能干好。
一個有好幾個小孩的家庭正在用餐,他們點冰激凌時換來換去十幾次,就在為他們開好復雜的賬單后,我準備辭職不干了。
這時,那位父親一邊把小費遞給我,一邊對我微笑?!案傻貌诲e。”他說,“你把我們照顧得真周到?!鳖D時,我倦意全無。我對他也報以微笑。后來,經理問我第一天上班的感覺如何,我說:“好極了!”那幾個贊美之詞改變了一切。endprint