Attitudes

Thanks to N.Y. Roll for the new shop hat.

 Since I've started working at the Cedar Valley Bicycle Collective I've had to learn and unlearn several things. The mission of the collective is a lot different than a normal retail bike shop's mission, and after having worked retail all my life, a non-profit situation is a challenge.

It's what I wanted too. Challenges and learning new ways. I mean, I could have had a regular bicycle mechanic's job in town by now. There was an opening or two I was aware of, but I didn't pursue the leads I heard about and obviously no one came knocking on my door either. 

And I'm okay with that. 

This all has become even more pronounced lately since we've gotten busier. I've met many of the 'regulars' by this point and several new folks as well. Because of the nature of the CVBC and it's mission to certain segments of the local populace that are, quite frankly, under served, I am seeing a different person than I have most of my years in retail. Besides economic and social differences, I have been most struck by one characteristic of the customers I've met so far. 

An attitude of gratitude. 

Sure- Many of the folks I've served along the way have been grateful. I've experienced many good returns for my hard work in terms of praise, thanks, and goodwill. But those were outliers in my experience. Most of the time, I felt like I was seen as a thief, an opportunist, or worse. 

But I've seen another side of humanity since working at the Collective. Many of our customers speak their gratitude, and several show it by, of all things, bringing us soda pop. I know, kinda odd, but it seems to be the currency of thanks that these folks are comfortable and familiar with. They even go out of their way to ask what flavor I want, and then they bring liters of the stuff, (literally) to the shop in a show of their gratitude. And it isn't like these folks have a lot of resources either. 

Conversely, back in the old retail shop days, I rarely got a show of gratitude and mostly these folks that came through those shops I worked at were well equipped to show their gratitude, but their attitude wasn't such that they could even think like that. Which I don't miss, by the way. That gets really tiring. 

To those of you who have always shown and expressed your gratitude- Thank you! You know who you are and I remember you. But I think that the example of the customers I have seen in the CVBC are an inspiration to and for us all. 

If I could only aspire to be half as grateful and expressing of such as those folks are. Well.....

And that has made this new job worth more than I could have ever imagined so far......