Ok, so the UK has quite a few differences than the US. The differences that have been most noticeable to me though are the social differences. I don’t have time to go into all of them right now but I’ll cover a few, and even toss a story in afterwards. Read more »

Ok I would make this a video blog but I’m at work(on lunch break), and talking to my computer in public would probably get me a bad rep.  Typing on a blog doesn’t help my rep either but that’s less noticeable.  Besides I couldn’t not write about today’s/yesterday’s lunch, it kinda changed my life outlook. I hold grudges, it’s a bad quality that I’ve lived with because I don’t have anything to hold a grudge about that often. After lunch yesterday I did but what happened today has made me change my outlook on the way I do things.  Anyway here’s the long story…

So yesterday I went to my favorite lunch spot near where I work out here in San Francisco called Name.  It’s a sushi and japanese cuisine type place.  I go there about 3-4 times a week so I’m somewhat of a regular I like to think.  I went there yesterday and ordered the beef teriyaki combo, then a guy came in after me and ordered a chicken teriyaki combo. Within a minute or two his food is bagged and ready to go while I’m still stuck there waiting.  It slowly dawns on me as I playback things in my head that he quite likely was given my order and now I’ waiting around for his order.  A few minutes later the girl I ordered from comes and sits next to me and explains that my order was given to the other guy just like I’d assumed.  So she offers me his chicken teriyaki. I accept it although I was really looking forward to that beef, plus the beef is like a dollar extra so I was a little peeved about missing out on that.

I took the food and it was good, so I was happy.  It was my second to last day in SF so I figured I wouldn’t go there again on my last day, so that way they would never see me again and assume that their one mess up was enough to drive away a great customer.  Petty and vindictive of me?? Yes.

So today rolls around and I’m still craving that beef teriyaki so I swallow my pride and go back to Nama.  I realized accidents happen and no one really wanted to hurt me by giving away my beef teriyaki.  So I go in today and am looking at the sushi menu instead of heading straight to order my to-go food.  In mere seconds the girl who took my order yesterday, and for most of the time I’ve been going there, walks up to me and begins profusely apologizing for the mix-up yesterday.

I’m already impressed that she remembers, but the look in her eyes showed true remorse and a longing for forgiveness. Her eyes made me feel like I should say sorry for being even a little annoyed about it yesterday. She even asked my name and had me spell it out for here as she tried to correctly pronounce it through her accent.  All through the apologizing she is smiling and putting her head on my arm in sort of a half hug kinda way.  I suddenly have a whole new respect for this restaurant.

So she goes off and puts in my order for the teriyaki while I peruse the sushi menu.  She comes back again to see if I found anything I wanted, I order some sushi too.  When ringing me up it comes out to about $22 I give her two $20s and she says I can just give her $20 instead.  She just made an awesome apology even better.  While I’m sitting down waiting for my food she asks if I want anything else on the side like a miso soup, I decline and she starts listing other sides.  Then I realize she’s offering me a free side.  Sweet!! I immediately jump at the mention of the edamame.

So I got a discount, a free side and the best damn apology from a business that I’ve ever had. The only thing that could’ve made that lunch better would be if I’d gotten her number too..which I think would’ve been doable but what good would it do me if I live in Texas.  Today just reminded me that doing things just to hurt someone who you feel has wronged you isn’t right and generally helps no one; Sometimes you gotta put your pride aside and just do you and things will work themselves out..more often than not in your favor.  So if you’re ever in San Francisco, check out Nama on King St. between 2nd and 3rd street, because they deserve your business.

An update on my life and times in San Francisco at the new job.