Shit I Wish Girls Knew About Anger Management

      I work at a hotel front desk. It is my job, as the overnight shift, to start breakfast in the morning. It is supposed to be ready at 5:30, so while our coffee station is open 24/7, I usually rebrew the two pots at 4:45 so they are fresh for breakfast. This morning, a guest came down for coffee at 4:53 and in a belligerent tone ordered me to "BRING OUT THE REGULAR COFFEE, NOW". I smiled sweetly back at him and assured him I would bring the coffee out as soon as it finished brewing. And then I went back into the kitchen and dawdled, drawing out the time he had to wait.
    Had he only smiled and said good morning or even asked in a nicer tone I would have brought the coffee out immediately. But while I am in customer service, that doesn't mean I am a customer punching bag. The way people treat me sometimes is absolutely ridiculous. Not only should no one be talked to like I am, people seem to forget that I am the one setting the rate for their stay, preparing the food, handling their issues etc. So why alienate me?
    Below I have created a list of five other people that you should always treat well, even if you are pissed off. Because you may not like the payback you didn't even know you got...

    1. Waitresses- We all know the stereotype of angry waitstaff spitting in our food. But there are other reasons to not anger your waitresses. They aren't necessarily the ones making your food, but they are in charge of picking it up and dropping it off. It sits under a heat lamp, so irk your waitress and she may keep your food sitting out and make you wait. It will arrive hot and you will be none the wiser. Aside from pissing them off, if your waitress likes you, she may even go so far as to not include your drinks on the receipt or give you her employee discount.

    2. Airline staff- I always skip the kiosks and go up to the person behind the counter. A lot of times, just chatting with the person behind the counter and being nice and not irritable, is enough to get you upgraded. And when the hostesses are coming around handing out snacks or telling you to shut off your electronics, don't back talk. These people have the power to kick you off the plane. Look at Alec Baldwin.

    3. Medical staff, especially CNAs and RNs- I know everyone always thinks of the doctor being the most important one in the medical practice, but this is so untrue. They wouldn't be able to run anything without their nursing staff. These men and women are used to being talked down to by their doctor, they don't need it from you too. Otherwise you may find that your meal is late, your pain meds are accidentally a lower dosage or that appointment you really need is all booked up until 6 months from now.

    4. Emergency workers/public servants- Most people, myself included, have a deep appreciation for the men and women keeping our streets safe. But that doesn't stop me from being irritated when I need to pull over for an ambulance or fire truck or from being pissed when I get pulled over by a cop. Pulling someone over is a scary prospect for a cop. While most times you are just hoping you don't get a ticket, they are approaching a car knowing virtually nothing about what is going to meet them. Same goes for firefighters and EMS. So cut them some slack the next time you interact with them. Chances are, one day, you are going to need at least one of these services, so make sure you don't make them hate you.

    5. Foreigners- Working in the hospitality industry, especially on cruise ships, I get to see how a lot of people interact with foreigners. When you look at someone and immediately assume they are too stupid to understand you, that is extremely ignorant. I know I frequently pretend I either don't speak English, or that I don't understand another language as well as I do and people talk right in front of you. Its amazing how many cruisers would talk about their housekeeper right in front of them. And while they would continue to do their job, you are certainly not going to go above and beyond for someone who talks down to you. No towel animals for you...

    I know that when you are frustrated and mad, it is easy to lash out at the person nearest to you. But remember, your waitress wasn't the one who cooked your food, the hotel front desk agent wasn't the one who didn't bring you enough towels and the CNA is the one who isn't going to clean up your shit if you can't learn to manage your anger...