Background:
Nature catapulted a freeze that has left us without power since the 5th with expected restored power by this Monday. Other portions affected have recovered however, our neighborhood is within a heavily treed area and lines/poles took the brunt of the freeze - so, we're still waiting.
Stress is notable throughout city where we're temporarily working.
Environment:
Hotel Restaurant: One waiter and a hostess. Multiple tables with remaining finished plates, cups, etc. Around 8-10 tables with patrons waiting orders, eating, waiting for the bill. A few waiting to be seated. Full capacity as people sought refuge along with the common hotel traffic.
Setting:
Yesterday, we were seated at the hotel restaurant for breakfast. A white male server (30's) approached and asked to take our order. Immediately, to my left, two tables away, an elderly Black lady (75ish) spoke up with a frustrated tone, "Why have you skipped me? Why are you serving them? I've been here waiting!" [She was there as we were seated]
The white male server immediately, and from our perspective, sincerely apologized and took her order.
My initial impression, "Great, here comes the race card..." while he apologized and she shared her frustration, inclusive of our [my wife and I] skin color, white, it gave me a moment of pause while she grumbled for a minute or two following.
A level of empathy - If anyone, in this entire lobby area of the hotel knows the challenges of the race issue, I bet she has been there and felt that.
The "What if's rolled" - A patron's phone video captured / edited segments, a complaint that alleged a Rosa Parks type theme, a Journalist's designed, "click me [over-zealous exaggeration]" colorful "article", etc would leave little regard for a simple server, a single Marriott employee. It's Risk Management 101. Somewhat reminds me of the setting with CPW and the resignation that followed.
The dynamics from a perceived Marriott server's racial injustice are immense! His life is flipped within the media as Marriott looks to distance itself. A pawn in today's race battle... Then, just as quickly as this escalated, as other patrons looked on...
The tense air diffused as he served her tea and she expressed an apology for her verbal frustration and a notable great sigh relief from the server. A friendly / polite exchange occurred between the two and all was well.
Shortly after, she pulled our attention and apologized to us! I was a bit surprised - certainly unexpected, though listened as she spoke of the community's elevated stress and disappointment with herself for her implied racial allegation towards the server.
This conversation blossomed into an amazing brief mental walk into her history and how the current fear and stress must not lead us into this level of instant attack. We enjoyed a conversation about the challenges faced, displaced from our homes. Her son paid for her hotel stay awaiting power to restore. She's an incredibly kind lady that succumbed to the impulsive frustrations of a simple error that held potential significant ramifications.
As her son is a distance away, we hope to bump into her once again. The strength within her to overcome her past experiences, within the current stressful setting to diffuse her own elevated fears - IMO, was worth the experience and something that will resonate within my own activities. I know many who would rather hold to their self dug trench than admit, possible poor judgement even though one *could have held their position.
I suppose one had to be there to understand the tense setting the dinning room assumed when this occurred and to see the conclusion - It was surreal. I deal with it in my job though this was different on so many levels.
Call it the thought for the day.
Nature catapulted a freeze that has left us without power since the 5th with expected restored power by this Monday. Other portions affected have recovered however, our neighborhood is within a heavily treed area and lines/poles took the brunt of the freeze - so, we're still waiting.
Stress is notable throughout city where we're temporarily working.
Environment:
Hotel Restaurant: One waiter and a hostess. Multiple tables with remaining finished plates, cups, etc. Around 8-10 tables with patrons waiting orders, eating, waiting for the bill. A few waiting to be seated. Full capacity as people sought refuge along with the common hotel traffic.
Setting:
Yesterday, we were seated at the hotel restaurant for breakfast. A white male server (30's) approached and asked to take our order. Immediately, to my left, two tables away, an elderly Black lady (75ish) spoke up with a frustrated tone, "Why have you skipped me? Why are you serving them? I've been here waiting!" [She was there as we were seated]
The white male server immediately, and from our perspective, sincerely apologized and took her order.
My initial impression, "Great, here comes the race card..." while he apologized and she shared her frustration, inclusive of our [my wife and I] skin color, white, it gave me a moment of pause while she grumbled for a minute or two following.
A level of empathy - If anyone, in this entire lobby area of the hotel knows the challenges of the race issue, I bet she has been there and felt that.
The "What if's rolled" - A patron's phone video captured / edited segments, a complaint that alleged a Rosa Parks type theme, a Journalist's designed, "click me [over-zealous exaggeration]" colorful "article", etc would leave little regard for a simple server, a single Marriott employee. It's Risk Management 101. Somewhat reminds me of the setting with CPW and the resignation that followed.
The dynamics from a perceived Marriott server's racial injustice are immense! His life is flipped within the media as Marriott looks to distance itself. A pawn in today's race battle... Then, just as quickly as this escalated, as other patrons looked on...
The tense air diffused as he served her tea and she expressed an apology for her verbal frustration and a notable great sigh relief from the server. A friendly / polite exchange occurred between the two and all was well.
Shortly after, she pulled our attention and apologized to us! I was a bit surprised - certainly unexpected, though listened as she spoke of the community's elevated stress and disappointment with herself for her implied racial allegation towards the server.
This conversation blossomed into an amazing brief mental walk into her history and how the current fear and stress must not lead us into this level of instant attack. We enjoyed a conversation about the challenges faced, displaced from our homes. Her son paid for her hotel stay awaiting power to restore. She's an incredibly kind lady that succumbed to the impulsive frustrations of a simple error that held potential significant ramifications.
As her son is a distance away, we hope to bump into her once again. The strength within her to overcome her past experiences, within the current stressful setting to diffuse her own elevated fears - IMO, was worth the experience and something that will resonate within my own activities. I know many who would rather hold to their self dug trench than admit, possible poor judgement even though one *could have held their position.
I suppose one had to be there to understand the tense setting the dinning room assumed when this occurred and to see the conclusion - It was surreal. I deal with it in my job though this was different on so many levels.
Call it the thought for the day.
