Observations In Life

I was just in Chicago for work and decided to stay over the weekend. One of my co-workers had his line of bags in a fashion show at a club called Transit in the west loop and so the team decided to show it’s support and attend. It was a great night out with one very unique experience.

I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t like bathroom attendants. I usually avoid them as I feel obligated to tip them for helping me with things I don’t need help with. I learned how to wash my hands when I was two and before I went out I put on my cologne. Are these people really necessary? As luck would have it when I was trying to leave the bathroom someone got in my way and I was forced to move toward the attendant and inevitably we made eye contact. Of course when you make eye contact you know you are screwed and I heard him utter a simple “hello”.

I replied back politely and instinctively mumbled “hi, how are you?”. The conversation ensued. I figured This man was black, about 60 to 65 and charming. I assumed he was a high school drop out who couldn’t make it in life. Why else would he be servicing rude and drunk men at 3am in a Chicago club? After about 10 minutes of conversation with this man I learned about the city and history and was amazed to find out he was a graduate of Dartmouth College, retired, and I gathered he was doing this job so as to be out with people. His name was Percy and he taught me a valuable lesson about making assumptions.