My Name is ___

I always have a mini panic attack when customers ask my name. I immediately replay our entire interaction up until that moment to make sure I didn't do anything wrong or possibly made a facial expression that could have been misconstrued.

Most of the time, they just want to know so they can act all buddy-buddy with me and make it easier to get my attention; for instance, from across the restaurant. These guys are all complements and no buck. Such a tip tease.

This particular time, it was an older couple. As soon as I walked up to get their drink order, I saw potential warning signs. The wife was not smiling and the man was rummaging through his wife's purse to look for his glasses. "I can't see in this light," he said. After I had brought out the appetizers and answered a few questions about the menu, the husband asked me for my name.

Uh oh. Rewind....Replay. Nope, no incidences that I could think of. I continued the routine and brought them their entrées. After their last plates were taken away with a little chuckle about wasabi, I brought them their bill. That was when the husband said something to me that I was not expecting at all.

"You did a good job." Wow, didn't see that coming. I don't think I've ever had anyone tell me that before. I've gotten Thank You's and We enjoyed it's but never telling me I did a good job. Although I was taken back, I did feel like I earned a gold star that day. Haha, my mom would be proud.