How memorable are you? Do you melt into the background like a wilting flower?
Sam
My son is remarkable simply because he is taller than most people we meet. It is difficult to remain unnoticed as he is 6’6″, 161lbs and resembles a beanpole.
Sammy and me
Sam is not extremely social and would rather keep human interactions to a minimum. I swear if he didn’t look like me, I wouldn’t think he was mine as I am as extroverted as they come.
scrounging for change
Sam, like many other kids, has always looked around the house for spare change. I think it is a game to him, seeing what kind of booty lies beneath the sofa cushions.
Often, he will place change in a Ziploc baggie until it is full enough to buy something. What does he buy? Food! Being so tall and still growing means he can never eat enough to gain weight (lucky)
a memorable encounter
On one occasion, he wanted a Big Mac meal from McDonald’s. He offered to pay with all the money he scrounged saved. I saw the baggie full of small change and cringed, yet agreed to drive him there.
There was no way I was going inside to witness this exchange of goods. If he was going to break the piggy bank, I didn’t want to look like a co-conspirator. That is probably petty, but there it is.
After about 10 minutes, Sam exited the building with a paper sack full of food. He grinned and nearly skipped (OK, he probably was skipping) as he opened the car door, and exclaimed that the kid at the cashwrap asked him never to do that again.
fast forward at least a year
Recently, Sam offered to pay again for his McDonald’s meal with collected change. Before agreeing, I ensured it was not primarily pennies nickels and dimes. Sam upgraded from a flimsy baggie to a small mason jar to hold his change.
After seeing his hoard was primarily quarters, we drove down the road to the drive thru. I ordered his regular (Big Mac meal with large fries and Powerade) and proceeded to the check out.
As I pulled up to the window, I informed the cashier Sam intended to pay with his own money and it was change. The cashier looked at us with horror and cried out, “Oh No! It’s not you again???”
what what what?
Both Sam and I reacted with roaring laughter. The guy was so traumatized by Sam’s purchase that he remembered him over a year later. How classic was that?
I assured him it was mostly quarters and the cashier visibly exhaled. He asked if I was there when Sam emptied the contents of his baggie on the counter and counted it out there. No. I was waiting outside in the car (bad mommy)
By the time we left the drive thru, we were all giggling about the past experience. As he handed me Sam’s meal, he said, “You know who loves getting change? South Meadows.”
oh no! not you again!!
Will this be Sam’s epitaph? Probably not. The encounter with the cashier made Sam remarkable. He will remember us the next time we drive thru again.
If Sam acted entitled when pouring his pennies on the counter, he might still have been remembered, but for being a jerk. Sam was unapologetic but still respectful to the cashier.
What makes you remarkable? Like Sam are you a change hound who pays for everything with pennies and quarters? Are you the guy who has to count it?
Share your thoughts and stories about a memorable encounter that left a long long long lasting impression on others.
