More Than a Sample

The woman behind the demo cart had a cheery smile that grew larger and brighter as she spoke. She radiated warmth and positivity as she cut sections of large green pears and added a toothpick to each for sampling as she spoke.

"Are those fresh pears?" a customer inquired.

"They sure are! I just picked them from the pear tree in my backyard this morning!" the woman responded with a chuckle.

She was joking and the customer knew it, but that didn't hurt their conversation. More customers were already gathering in a line behind them as I approached her cart.

"Good Morning, Bev!" I smiled.

"Good morning!" she responded excitedly, "I have your cart set up for you in the back this morning. They were going to have you do this demo instead, but you know Tim, of course he wants me on the fruit! Besides, he wants you to sell out of those chicken sausages you did so well on yesterday" she adds with a wink.

"Yeah, that sounds like Tim." I laugh in return, and button my white shirt up to its collar. As I reach my demo cart, I throw on my hat and apron, and straighten my name tag. It was a simple job; smile, greet the customers, offer them a sample, and tell them about the product. Hopefully that information resulted in a sale. Even though we weren't paid commission, I still thought it was fun to see how much I could sell. Tim, the Sam's Club General Manager, certainly took notice of employees who sold the most products. That was good PR for our company, and the occasional newsletter photo claiming sales victory wasn't such a bad thing to wind up in.

Dave, our supervisor, gave me a high five and a cheer, and that was enough encouragement for me. He was a prior History major, but also a like-minded creative. We were always discussing the books we were writing or artwork. When I changed my cell phone covers or notebooks, he always knew who the artist was that created them. He made various jokes that made work life fun like suggesting I add, "Cherry pitter extraordinaire" to my resume when I filled in for Bev's fruit demonstration. He told me that would get me into Yale for sure. Not Harvard, but probably Yale. We and the rest of the team members listening would laugh. This informal, friendly environment was what I thrived in.

A few of us were constants; Bev, Diane, Connie, and myself. We had been there for years and I personally enjoyed it. Each of us came from a diverse background of prior experience. Bev had been employed with Sam's directly and changed over to our company when the product demonstrations division was contracted out. Previously, she worked at an ice cream shop in high school where she was frequently in trouble for eating more of the bubblegum flavored ice cream than she sold. I always thought that was funny and somehow it suited her "bubbly" and fun-loving personality.

It was from Bev that I learned how to select the best produce; mangos should have a tinge of red if you want one that is ripe. She taught me how to slice a pineapple without a corer! Just cut off the top with the stalk. Then, cut the bottom portion so it is flat enough for a base. Afterward, cut the rough skin off the sides. Finally, slice down adjacent to the core. You'll wind up with four sections and the core itself. If you'd like a really tasty treat (and don't mind getting pineapple strands between your teeth) you can nibble around that pineapple core-it is the sweetest part! Plenty of Youtube videos have their own way of cutting a pineapple, but I do it the way Bev taught me and it works just fine!

Diane, by contrast, was a gruff, but knowledgeable farmer who loved books. She knew my father since he was little from their mutual farming background, and would tell me memories she has about or with him. I was tickled by her more sensitive side as I noticed she quietly read romance novels on her lunch break. Diane was an expert at demoing various products, but especially meat. She knew just how to pick out the best pieces, slice, marinade, and cook them. She had no problem stepping in and telling others how it was properly done. While some grew frustrated with this, it was by listening to her instructions that I learned how best to cook many products. Her recommendations for salad dressings, especially the Vidalia Vinaigrette we frequently demonstrated were quite useful. I used it as a "secret" ingredient in my chicken salad on more than a few occasions, and it soon became a family favorite at picnics and barbeques.

Separate from those two was Connie, a former corrections officer with strict insistence on rules and rational thinking. She didn't necessarily care about the sales as much as putting in the work and effort to do the product justice. She didn't believe in convincing others to buy a product they didn't already want to buy in the first place and instead let the product speak for itself. She was highly reliable and faithful not just as an employee, but also as a friend. If I needed an honest opinion, I asked her and she would answer with genuine concern and care despite her tough outer shell. She never looked at me differently when I made mistakes or talked about bad experiences, and kept everything I said to her confidential. She had a kindness that made her friends feel safe regardless of whatever circumstance they were in.

I was an inexperienced college student and this was my first job. I was adopted by these individuals and taken under their wings. I enjoyed working with all of them and the rest of the Sam's employees. How we interacted made a long-lasting impression; the job became more than just a pay check to me, it became a place I felt like I belonged.

Dave chose me for demos that involved direct interaction with Sam's Club staff, and added it was because "I could get along with anyone, and was a valuable asset to the team." I had always been told I was not just an introvert, but also socially awkward. Yet somehow, this supervisor harnessed those skills to their full capacity, and make any social awkwardness I thought I had go away. I felt truly appreciated hearing that. I started to become more outgoing with my sales and assistance to others. I became someone who trained new hires, helped customers beyond my product demonstration duties, and freely gave compliments to others. My boss relied on me more, but in ways that were beneficial to me. Surrounded by healthy interactions, influences, and supports, I was happy and growing as a person. It was something I had never expected from a job.

Looking back, our demo team and store was something special. Perhaps it was because we employed the misfits, underrated, and underestimated. Other people just looking for jobs worked there too, but they didn't usually stay for long. When I think of my Sam's Club friends, I laugh when I hear about how diverse others' opinions may be to mine. Employees who were classified as "weird" by others often became my close friends. I think of my friend George, for instance, he loves D&D and comics. Oddly enough, in college he met my two best friends from high school and they started a LARPing group together. We connected instantly and laughed that we both knew the twins. We've been friends ever since, and my husband and I are always greeted with a hug when he sees us at the store. To hear that he is strange by others who are more "normal" is of no concern to me. I'll always speak of him positively.

Most people eventually moved on in pursuit of higher pay, prestige, better hours, etc. I attempted to do the same, but still loved this job. I tried working both jobs at various points. Somehow when I considered leaving, Dave always pulled me back in. It seemed that whatever fulfillment I was seeking, I wasn't finding it elsewhere and he knew it. Until I received a job offer Dave and I both thought I couldn't refuse, leaving for good was a tough decision to make. To this day, I have yet to work in such a positive environment.

The rapport I built with the demo team has lasted to present day.

Diane now works as the supervisor for the demo team. She always asks if I'm interested in coming back to work there. She says they could use me and the offer is always open. When my father passed away, she sent her sincere condolences. When she sees pictures of or my son and I in person, she talks about how he inherited some genes from my father, especially his mischievous grin.

Connie works for Sam's Club directly now and is enjoying her two grandchildren. When I was hired on as administrative staff by a federal law enforcement agency, she was my biggest advisor and counselor. It was a drastically different environment than what I knew. I felt like a fish out of water, and her experience and advice was appreciated. She taught me to lay low, work hard, put in my time, and get out afterward. I can say with accuracy now that I accomplished that.

Bev is enjoying her grandchildren in retirement. She has been present for some of my major life events; congratulating me on graduation, sending gifts for my bridal shower, and even attending my baby shower. I still chuckle at Bev's wedding gift of pear mugs. The tag said, "To A Perfect "Pear" in Bev's true "punny" fashion. They always make me smile and think of her and her inspirationally extraverted, sunny, good-humored nature. Her charm still literally lights up the room and makes everyone feel welcome.

When I graduated with my Bachelor's degrees and was seeking a position in government, Dave unbeknownst to me submitted my resume to his wife for her to send to her employer several times. When that failed, he was excited to offer me a promotion when he was promoted and we moved up the ladder together.

When I was finally offered a position with a different government agency, he proudly congratulated me and told me he would always be a reference wherever I went. He added that he "couldn't replace me in three years, let alone three weeks so not to worry about what I was leaving behind." He was "just happy I was finally getting my opportunity, but he and the rest of the team would miss me and was proud of how far I had come." Those words touch me to this day.

He moved on elsewhere from his position shortly afterward, but when he found out six years later that I was leaving that government position, he eagerly sent me a message and told me to keep in touch. He was working on a new project, and would love to hire me once everything was in place.

I often wonder how such a small section of the world made such an impact on my life. How did I make so many important connections in a retail warehouse performing product demonstrations? How did I learn so many important life lessons in just a little place, and how in the world did I meet so many loving people? I still don't have all the answers to those questions; I just have the positive experience.