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Welcome to the Presidential Suite

By Gail Z. Martin

“Welcome! Right this way.  I’ve got the Presidential Suite waiting for you.”  With those words, the smiling restroom attendant ushered me into a bathroom stall that had plenty of space for me and my luggage.  She walked ahead of me, wiping off any surface I might touch, so that the facilities seemed clean and fresh.  When I emerged, she was waiting to hand me a paper towel.  On the counter was an array of mints, mouthwash and hygiene items, just in case I needed something.  She made sure I got the royal treatment, along with a smile and a cheery word to speed me on my way.

Was this a pricy hotel?  No.  This was the ladies’ restroom in Terminal A of the Charlotte-Douglas Airport.

What’s the lesson?  Here’s someone with a job that many people would not regard as being high status.  But she found a way to really embrace the job and share her personality.  (One attendant in another terminal bursts into Broadway show tunes.  Bathrooms have really good acoustics.)  She gives weary travelers a pleasant experience that transforms something routine into a nice surprise.  She found a way to bring dignity to a job some people might disdain.

It’s one more example of how attitude is everything.  Elinor Roosevelt was right: No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.

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Filed under Gail Z. Martin, Gratitude-Giving