Jude let out a smile, it wasn't forceful; somehow the image posted on the wall, which was a question seemed to coaxed a grin from him. He must have felt weird smiling all by himself when he suddenly stopped and looked around him, no one seemed to care, as if they expected the word to make an impact on anyone who came to the company.
"You're welcome, sir, how may I help you?" She asked, smiling. It must be their company policy to smile, Jude thought as he watched how steady she kept the smile. He felt welcome and at ease.
"I came to get a few items for my baby, can you recommend some for me?"
"Sure, let's go to the other side of the supermarket. The items there are for children"
Jude followed her to the section where the baby items were shelved and she recommended a few things the baby would need-a baby blanket, socks, a few toys.
Just before Jude left, he tipped her a few dollars which she rejected at first, but after much persistence, she accepted it and thanked Jude for the patronage.
"Aside from the friendly customer service, the question at the entrance made a good impression" Jude told her while walking to the door. Again she smiled and thanked Jude for his feedback.
When Jude returned home that evening, the message from the wall still lingered in his mind. Jude's visit at the supermarket had left an impression on him and he pondered how a simple gesture can brighten a customer's day. He wasn't sad, but the question was a reminder for him to smile if he had forgotten to. Maybe he should make that a reminder for himself at home, he thought. On a brown plank nailed to his wall he wrote "Did you smile today?". It became what he looks at whenever he ends his day to appreciate the good things that happened through the day. This became his daily routine, jotting down all the things that made him smile, and deciding if he'll want to have it again.
