My world versus the real world

It's a sorry state of affairs when someone just being nice prompts a blog post, but that's exactly what this is about.

In my world, everyone is nice to each other, especially when they are a customer who has arbitrarily chosen to give their business to an establishment. In the real world, you're lucky if you are not berated by the people providing the service.

In my world, you are waited on promptly or given a courteous salutation such as "be with you in a moment, sir". In the real world, you are either ignored or ushered around without a word.

In my world, people actually thank you for your business and urge you to come back again. In the real world, you are history the moment your money has been proffered.

In my world, you usually have a good feeling about your experience and recommend it to friends. In the real world, you are often disappointed and warn your friends to avoid it.

In keeping with that, I want to tell you about a fabulous place. I had the pleasure of playing golf  on the Virginia eastern shore at a club called Bay Creek Golf Resort. From the moment I pulled up attention was lavished on me. They took my clubs out of the car, put them in the golf cart explained the lay of the land and even gave me the first name of the starter like we were going to be lifetime friends. In the golf shop they were interested in where I was from, had I been there before and told me how happy they were that I had chosen their course. The starter could have been a top maitre'de from an exclusive restaurant he was so attentive. It was like this in every aspect of the facility including the club house dining room.

And today, the piece de resistance. I received an email thanking me again for choosing them and attaching a coupon for 30%  off my next visit.

As I said, that this kind of friendly, gracious service should stand out in my mind is a testament to the lack of it elsewhere. But it does give me pause to think that somewhere there might be a bridge linking my world and the real world. As the man said, "hope springs eternal".