A Guy Named Ramco

C/o stockphoto.com

My sister-in-law has such a cute personality.  She wines and dines with her friends in high places, but is just as comfortable hankering down with regular folks.  She’s a raging shopaholic with a roomful of designer duds, but is a veritable Mother Teresa to less fortunate souls. She has a beautiful smile, which I believe is her secret power that turns strangers into, if not lifelong friends, at least benefactors who give her the best deals and the most outrageous of bargains. In fact, I have no doubt that you can drop her at any point on the globe, and she’ll worm her way into the hearts of everyone there, from the grumpiest of men to the brattiest of kids. Oh, and yeah, throw in the pets in that fan club mix, too, while we’re at it.

So it was no surprise to me that when we went to a hardware/garden store, she was already on a first name basis with one of the workers there. She was giving out orders like the boss lady that she was.

“Ramco, can you grab that pot? Can you see if they have other colors? Can you do this ? Can you do that?”

The man of the hour was an eager beaver who was only too happy to accommodate her majesty’s whims. He didn’t need a fortune cookie to tell him a big tip was coming his way. Ka-ching!

When the shopping expedition reached its end, my sister-in-law was very profuse with her thanks.

This is the conversation that ensued between them:

“Ramco, thank you so much for your help. I’m gonna remember your name so when I come back here, I’ll look for you, ok? ”

“He he he. You’re welcome, ma’am, but ma’am, my name is Ariel, not Ramco. “

“What! I was calling you Ramco all this time  and you never corrected me!”

“It’s ok, ma’am. Just remember when you come back here, ma’am, look for Ariel, ma’am, not Ramco.”

“So, tell me, how come your badge says Ramco?”

“He he he, ma’am , that’s just one of the brand sponsors, ma’am. See under Ramco? Ariel. That’s my name, ma’am.”

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry, Ramco. I mean Ariel.”

“It’s ok, ma’am. Just remember when you come back, it’s Ariel, ma’am , not Ramco.”

“Ok. I will try to remember that.”

With a big smile and an even bigger apology, my sister-in-law charned her way out of that snafu, much to everyone’s amusement.

I came back to that store a few weeks later. There was a bunch of employees just standing around, but a young man broke away from the crowd to help me. He was very helpful and attentive, and even went to the back to check for an item without even having to be asked. He really gave customer service that was above and beyond your norm.

When I was at the checkout counter, I told the cashier and the helpful young man the story of my sister-in-law and the guy she mistakenly called “Ramco.”

The helpful young man scratched his head and sheepishly said, “He he he. Ma’am, that was me. I’m Ariel, alias Ramco.”

The three of us laughed at this unexpected coincidence.

The cashier said, “Ma’am, I’m not surprised. Ariel has so many fans here. So many customers, when they come here, they look for him.”

I asked, “Do you guys work on commissions?”

Ariel stated, “No commission, ma’am. Every now and then a customer will tip us but not always, ma’am.”

I was amazed. “Wow, Ariel! I thought with the way you were so helpful that you guys get a commission for sure. Look at your co-workers. They’re just standing around, chatting and laughing, and you’re the only one who went up to me to offer help.”

“I just try to help, ma’am, when I see someone who needs it,” was the guy’s humble reply

I went home that day, delighted to have ran again into Ariel, aka Ramco. It is always gratifying to meet someone who restores your faith in humanity, and Ariel, aka Ramco, did just that.

So here’s a toast to all the unsung heroes everywhere who do their best every single day and give out the most positive of vibes to everyone they happen to meet. May your kind prosper and thrive!!!

*Have you encountered people like Ariel above? I would love to hear your story. Pls drop a line if you can. Thanks for reading!