DESPERATE to fatten up my holiday travel funds during my student years in Britain about a year ago, I took on a waitressing job at a coffee joint between classes for six months.
Being a rookie who didn't know how to work the coffee machine, I once had to ask a more experienced colleague, Em, to make coffee for me on our work break.
I was initially embarrassed and quite afraid that she would be annoyed at having to do extra tasks for a fellow colleague.
But, to my surprise, not only did she crank up the coffee machine within the minute, she also served the coffee to me in the full cup and saucer, with a spoon and sugar packets on the side.
Just as she would to a paying customer.
'Pssh,' she shrugged off my thanks with a smile worthy of fronting a courtesy campaign.
Her pride in undertaking a role as menial as ours left a deep impression.
(And it hadn't even been motivated by the offering of tips, which was meagre, if any, when shared among all.)
Her exceptional service did not make me feel like a queen who expects such luxury.
Instead, it made me feel thankful for such good treatment, and lucky to be served by a waitress who liked what she did and was good at it.
Never mind that ours was just a scruffy campus cafe.
Similar episodes occurred on a trip to the Southern United States last month.
As a guest this time, chirpy greetings and warm terms of endearments like 'buddy' and 'honey' were affixed to most of our interactions with the service staff in restaurants and hotels.
After settling the bill in a Louisiana restaurant, its owner went so far as to leave us her number when she heard that we are from Singapore.
'Y'all call if you run into any trouble in the area now,' she waved us off as we continued on our road trip.
Another time, in Memphis, we were served a complimentary plate of ribs to compensate for a delay in the kitchen - and we hadn't even complained.
Perhaps it was the famed Southern hospitality at work, but as the number of encounters with such stellar service increased, it made me wonder: Why do similar episodes not occur as often in Singapore?
Is the lack of good service an Asian thing? Not true. Look at the Japanese' polite ways and the Filipinos' dedication.
Are our lives in modern, hectic Singapore so busy that we do not have the time to be nice to one another? A poor excuse.
Do we require a tipping culture so customers can buy the requisite manners from their waitstaff? Too mercenary.
Perhaps it boils down to something as simple as taking pride in your job.
Being in the service line can, after all, be a very respectable profession.
Inspired by Em, I liked to think of myself as a therapist to while away my waitressing shifts.
Just as doctors pride themselves on making their patients feel better, people in the service industry should pride themselves on being able to deliver an experience that leaves customers happier than they were before.
Alternatively, when a difficult customer steps in, I tried to think of myself as an entertainer.
An extra sprinkling of cocoa powder, a joke, a personal menu recommendation or simply, a big grin - I have found that few people can frown back at good cheer.
Besides, there's nothing more rewarding (and ego-boosting) than thinking yourself charming enough to cajole a smile out of even the grumpiest customer.
Now, that's worth much more than what any amount of tips can buy.
