My sister has been bugging me to get EZ Pass. I get that it's convenient, but I've been lazy about it and haven't signed up. Most days it doesn't bother me, but on those days when there is no toll booth attendant available, and I'm scrambling for change so I can go through the "change only" lane, I think I should go home and sign up right away.
But there's a really big reason why I don't -- I like to talk to the toll takers.
Now, let me be really clear up front, I don't think I'm some fabulous person who deserves some kind of award. I'm not here to toot my own horn and talk about what a nice person I am, but, I do go out of my way to be nice to people, and, I think that most times, the toll takers really appreciate someone who is friendly and kind.
I travel often from my home on a beach island in New Jersey to Philadelphia for work. Often, I see the same toll takers as I head up the road to the big city, and then on my way back after a long day. On Monday nights I see the same woman who works the overnight shift. As I come through the toll booth late from my Monday night Bible study, I look forward to some chit chat, since there aren't any cars behind me. I always ask her if she's warm enough in the booth and she always makes fun of my ugly Christmas hat!
I enjoy this human interaction.
It's not that I don't have any regular human interaction; I work a part-time job at a small retail store here at the beach, so I see plenty of people, but I really look forward to those quick hellos and how-do-you-dos that I have with the folks at the tolls.
Sometimes, a toll taker will thank me for being pleasant, or they'll tell me that "the guy before me" was rude to them. Sometimes they'll tell me that they always enjoy seeing me, and they say, "Thanks," because they like it when people ask them how they are.
I traveled the toll roads on Christmas Day and handed out candy canes to the toll takers I encountered. On Thanksgiving, I gave small coffee gift cards to thank the people who make it a little nicer for me to get in the car and go on my way.
"If you got an EZ Pass, those poor people wouldn't have to work on the holidays," someone recently remarked. "That's just not true," I replied, "Someone will always be required to work on the holidays."
The advent of technology hasn't stamped out every customer service position -- yet, and until it does, I'll continue to covet those few seconds when I can converse with another human being, say or do something to make their day a little brighter, and leave them with a smile.
Next time you're traveling down the highway and you stop at the toll booth to pay your toll, use that as a chance to spread a little sunshine to the person in the little booth. Even better... why not try spreading that sunshine to everyone you meet as you're traveling down the highway of life.
The world sure could use a little more sunshine, and a little more humanity; why not start with the toll takers and go from there?