Wednesday, February 07, 2007

It's The Little Things That Count

Freezing cold temperatures these past few days.
I mean, below zero temps. Ranging from -20 to -35. OUCH! It's enough to make your lungs freeze over.

Whenever the temperatures sky rocket up or plummet downwards I for one am reminded of the many many jobs out there that require you to be outside.

One: the Mailman
Two: The Direct TV repairmen correcting a previous contractors many errors
Three: Train conductors
Four: The men in charge of fixing the many broken water mains out in the streets of Chicago
Five: The Cart Man at your local Target
Six: Your plumber -walking in frigid water from burst pipes

I know, I know there are many that I'm forgetting. So please feel free to remind me of the ones that I have..and children waiting at the bus stop doesn't count! Just kidding!

Funny thing is, you always think about these people when it's either subzero out, or scorching hot.
But what about the in between times?
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What about the elderly? Even the ones that have a warm heated home!
The ones that no longer have their spouse around to assist with numerous chores in their home.
The female elderly. Who thinks of them when snow is dumped in barrel size buckets from the sky onto their driveways?
Do you?
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Funny thing.
My bigdog, remember he takes the train into work everyday?
He parks in an open parking garage. Every morning there is a man that sits waiting by the entrance to take the $1 that it costs to park there for the day.
He's there pretty much everyday. Matter of fact just a few weeks ago as Big Dog pulled into the parking garage there he sat on his fold out metal chair, asleep.
He wasn't there on Monday.
Just entirely too cold out.
Who could blame him.

I wonder if he owns the parking garage? hmmm...??
I wonder if instead of him installing an electronic doohickey to accept the customers single dollar bill, he'd rather do it himself.
Quite noble if you ask me. So if he doesn't show up for work. He doesn't get paid.

I wonder what his story is??
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Meanwhile throughout the blasts of snow that we were given yesterday, a funny thing occurred. Nothing major, so don't get your panties all in a bunch, but enough to make you stop and think.

My Bigdog arrived home last nite very chilly. Remember, he parks in an open garage so needless to say his car was covered in snow when he got off the train last night. There in a little plastic bag was a mini snow scrapper compliments of the local bank. With their logo imprinted on it.
What a wonderful thought!
What a great Marketing dept our local bank has. Because unlike most of the Chicagoan's, my husband's snow and ice scrapper sits warmly in our garage. I bet there are others out there too. So as the train is approaching your stop, the many with the forgotten scrapers are thinking, "Oh gawd, how am I going to get all this crap off my car?"

Then, PRESTO! Approaching the car you see a tiny glimmer of what looks like crystal. As mentioned above, it's a tiny snow scrapper tucked in a plastic bag promoting one of the many local banks in our wonderful Mayberryish Town.
Does this mean I'm going to make a run for this bank and open up every single account with them because of their kind gesture?

Nope.

But what it DOES mean is that I will FOREVER think of this bank as the one that cares. The one that went the extra mile and not only put little mini snow scrappers on every single car in that garage, but wrapped them in plastic baggies.

Someone took time out of their warm desk job in that bank. Perhaps the director of marketing? Who knows. But the fact that they walked car to car neatly tucking those little wonders on everyones car is refreshing.
You don't see "bankers" listed on the who's who in working frigid temps.
You see? It's the little things that count.

I will forever be grateful for that little thought from our local bank.
My husband is very satisfied, now not having to dread the swipe with the side of his glove- snow disposal process. I hope the bank is content too-because they made a lot of people happy.
They deserve a thank you.

It's very true when they say it's the little things that count in life.
Life's little blessings.
That mini snow scrapper.

So, even though you may never have met your elderly neighbor, pop over and shovel as much of their driveway as possible.
Bring in their garbage cans.
Make a cup of hot chocolate for your mailman.
It's the little things that count.

Welcome To Crustybeef~
I am surprisingly warm and fuzzy in spite of the cold

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