A funny thing happened
Jun. 17th, 2016 11:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kukla_tkoIn my store, I sometimes meet celebrities. When we host events, they're "Sew-Lebrities".
However, most of the time the person in question is just in the store, buying fabric. Big Name Fans, local performers, Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus, that kind of thing.
Recently, I saw a young man come in and he was looking at fabrics at the front of the store. I recognized him from his posture, and his grace. I finished what I was doing, and then approached him with a friendly smile.
"Hi there," I began.
"Oh, hello," he replied.
"You perform locally on stage, don't you?"
"Uh, yeah, I do."
I hit him with my biggest smile. "I've seen you perform."
"Burlesque?" He asked, hesitantly.
"Yep. And I must tell you that I love your work. You are a genuinely gifted performer. I look forward to your future shows!"
"Oh," he replied, faintly surprised. "Well, thank you!"
"You are entirely welcome. We know some of the same people, too." I played the six-degrees-of-separation with him, because he's performed with the sister of someone extremely close to me.
Like, close enough that I had to be... vague... about it since my coworkers were in earshot.
Now. Those of you who know me, know that if I like something or someone I say something. I speak up. What's more, I'm far more likely to compliment an actor or singer on their specific work rather than that "I love you, man" or "I'm such a fan of (character name)". For me, this was a rare opportunity to make a connection with a talented performer, who is MOBBED after his shows and very hard to get close to during the after-show after-glow.
But, the coworker who rang up his sale came to me afterward and said, "You just made someone's day." She was just delighted that I had fangirled this guy and he apparently was delightfully overjoyed to have been recognized.
Today that same coworker came up to me and awkwardly said that in light of what has been happening, she was so glad that I had said such sweet things to that young man.
It took me a minute to process this, and then I realized that my middle-aged white sewing lady coworker witnessed the following:
A man came into our store. This is slightly unusual, but like many men who come into our store, he showed signs of being gay.
He was shopping, and I walked up to him and told him that he was beautiful, and that I loved his art.
The art in question is stage burlesque.
I'm not trying to toot my own horn or anything, I'm simply staggered that someone would think that what I did was special.
Be not afraid, folks.
When you like something, say something. Did your waiter impress you, bring you out of your Hangry bad mood, or do something over the top to make your day? Tell his manager. Did your bartender help you through your tough moment? Let her boss know that she's brilliant. Email your favorite comedian or comedienne and tell them that they've touched your life. (Psst: I did. She wrote me back!)
And tell your friends that you love them. Tell them that they have positively influenced your life. You never know when a kind word will dramatically improve someone's world.
However, most of the time the person in question is just in the store, buying fabric. Big Name Fans, local performers, Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus, that kind of thing.
Recently, I saw a young man come in and he was looking at fabrics at the front of the store. I recognized him from his posture, and his grace. I finished what I was doing, and then approached him with a friendly smile.
"Hi there," I began.
"Oh, hello," he replied.
"You perform locally on stage, don't you?"
"Uh, yeah, I do."
I hit him with my biggest smile. "I've seen you perform."
"Burlesque?" He asked, hesitantly.
"Yep. And I must tell you that I love your work. You are a genuinely gifted performer. I look forward to your future shows!"
"Oh," he replied, faintly surprised. "Well, thank you!"
"You are entirely welcome. We know some of the same people, too." I played the six-degrees-of-separation with him, because he's performed with the sister of someone extremely close to me.
Like, close enough that I had to be... vague... about it since my coworkers were in earshot.
Now. Those of you who know me, know that if I like something or someone I say something. I speak up. What's more, I'm far more likely to compliment an actor or singer on their specific work rather than that "I love you, man" or "I'm such a fan of (character name)". For me, this was a rare opportunity to make a connection with a talented performer, who is MOBBED after his shows and very hard to get close to during the after-show after-glow.
But, the coworker who rang up his sale came to me afterward and said, "You just made someone's day." She was just delighted that I had fangirled this guy and he apparently was delightfully overjoyed to have been recognized.
Today that same coworker came up to me and awkwardly said that in light of what has been happening, she was so glad that I had said such sweet things to that young man.
It took me a minute to process this, and then I realized that my middle-aged white sewing lady coworker witnessed the following:
A man came into our store. This is slightly unusual, but like many men who come into our store, he showed signs of being gay.
He was shopping, and I walked up to him and told him that he was beautiful, and that I loved his art.
The art in question is stage burlesque.
I'm not trying to toot my own horn or anything, I'm simply staggered that someone would think that what I did was special.
Be not afraid, folks.
When you like something, say something. Did your waiter impress you, bring you out of your Hangry bad mood, or do something over the top to make your day? Tell his manager. Did your bartender help you through your tough moment? Let her boss know that she's brilliant. Email your favorite comedian or comedienne and tell them that they've touched your life. (Psst: I did. She wrote me back!)
And tell your friends that you love them. Tell them that they have positively influenced your life. You never know when a kind word will dramatically improve someone's world.
