Everywhere you look, people are connected, with ear buds now part of the wardrobe! People walking down the street, talking to themselves, at one time labeled wacky and strange, are now the norm, (Crazy Bruce, Root Beer and a number of other Baltic looney tunes were ahead of their times!), we don't always notice the hands free stuck in their ear. Head to a public bathroom, people in the individual stall, talking on cell phones, with the mindset, the stall prevents EVERYONE from hearing the conversation!
The leaps and bounds in technology have created a society that no longer converses face to face, the younger generation almost afraid of visual contact! Fred's News was all about the senses, whether sight, smell, touch or hearing, it was delivered in overload proportions. Yet, I believe it was a learning experience for many. Shyness was overcome, opinions were voiced, mostly every one's opinions were respected, even if challenged, they were respected. Much like the media talk shows of evening television, everyone talking at the same time, Fred's news was a hub of social activity. Although manners were preferred, not everyone felt the same about the interruption process. Many times the rudeness of interrupting, a necessary part of an ongoing conversation. An "outside voice" usually beneficial....myself, Delaval, Thelma her Majesty, the Patties, Ms. Morning Mary and the Buzz-Man, also blessed with the vocal chords of a "Big-Mouth. Mr. Bill often thinking, he could out talk, out yell and "win" a discussion, was merely a "baby" in training, his vocal chords severely "damaged" by years of smoking the turd smelling cigars, more often "throwing the towel in" on lively conversations. He would return to his grill, head tucked neatly under the hood fan, withdrawing to familiar territory. He enjoyed people thinking he couldn't hear the conversations erupting behind his back. The Egg-Nazi definitely has refined his selective hearing process, using it to his advantage even now.
Our young people working the weekends might have been shy their first few times "on Stage" at Fred's News, but that shyness needed to be overcome quickly, a definite sink or swim process. Yet the nurturing personalities of many customers, made the process for these young people actually quite easy. Faced with a barrage of questions, the process screamed "interactions please". Just as our regulars grilled new customers, the process repeated for new employees, just a softer side of interrogation. "Hey I remember you as a toddler, you can't possibly be old enough to work!?" What they really wanted to ask:
Hey kid are you old enough to work? You aren't sixteen!" "You're right, I'm fifteen and ten months, in the State of Connecticut, that's legal!" The surprised look of the interrogator, priceless!. They must of thought, this kid is savvy! Well let's put that rumor to rest.....truth be known, we never let any new employee out on the floor, without strict instructions......."They're going to question you, be ready, don't let them know you're shaking in your boots, give them a confident answer, they'll be-friend you for life! Couldn't send those babies out "to the wolves" without a reassuring love pat!
The leaps and bounds in technology have created a society that no longer converses face to face, the younger generation almost afraid of visual contact! Fred's News was all about the senses, whether sight, smell, touch or hearing, it was delivered in overload proportions. Yet, I believe it was a learning experience for many. Shyness was overcome, opinions were voiced, mostly every one's opinions were respected, even if challenged, they were respected. Much like the media talk shows of evening television, everyone talking at the same time, Fred's news was a hub of social activity. Although manners were preferred, not everyone felt the same about the interruption process. Many times the rudeness of interrupting, a necessary part of an ongoing conversation. An "outside voice" usually beneficial....myself, Delaval, Thelma her Majesty, the Patties, Ms. Morning Mary and the Buzz-Man, also blessed with the vocal chords of a "Big-Mouth. Mr. Bill often thinking, he could out talk, out yell and "win" a discussion, was merely a "baby" in training, his vocal chords severely "damaged" by years of smoking the turd smelling cigars, more often "throwing the towel in" on lively conversations. He would return to his grill, head tucked neatly under the hood fan, withdrawing to familiar territory. He enjoyed people thinking he couldn't hear the conversations erupting behind his back. The Egg-Nazi definitely has refined his selective hearing process, using it to his advantage even now.
Our young people working the weekends might have been shy their first few times "on Stage" at Fred's News, but that shyness needed to be overcome quickly, a definite sink or swim process. Yet the nurturing personalities of many customers, made the process for these young people actually quite easy. Faced with a barrage of questions, the process screamed "interactions please". Just as our regulars grilled new customers, the process repeated for new employees, just a softer side of interrogation. "Hey I remember you as a toddler, you can't possibly be old enough to work!?" What they really wanted to ask:
Hey kid are you old enough to work? You aren't sixteen!" "You're right, I'm fifteen and ten months, in the State of Connecticut, that's legal!" The surprised look of the interrogator, priceless!. They must of thought, this kid is savvy! Well let's put that rumor to rest.....truth be known, we never let any new employee out on the floor, without strict instructions......."They're going to question you, be ready, don't let them know you're shaking in your boots, give them a confident answer, they'll be-friend you for life! Couldn't send those babies out "to the wolves" without a reassuring love pat!
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