Conference quark::human_relations-v1

483.0. "Human Relations at its best!" by DEBIT::BNELSON (California Dreamin'...) Wed Mar 16 1988 17:13

I was on a business trip last week to Orlando, Florida and had a very interest-
ing experience which I felt worthy to share with you all.  Thursday night,
after the last session of the conference had been held and I could go out to
dinner, I went to a place called "Medieval Times".  This is where they serve
you a four course meal ( with no utensils ) while you're watching all these
knights jousting and battling each other.  I got there at 7, an hour early to
get a good seat and found myself with an hour to kill before we'd be let in --
I was sitting in the big hall, where they keep everyone until you can come in
to the arena area.  I was attending this conference alone, and not for the
first time found myself wishing _someone_ else had been along so I'd have
someone to talk to!  Along comes this gentleman who proceeds to sit down near
me.  I forget exactly how we happened to start a conversation, but one thing
leads to another and we're chatting away.  Then I notice four other people
come along and sit near him, who I presume are the rest of his family.  These
people turned out to be what I call the "down-home" type:  real friendly, real
nice, and a lot of fun ( a bit crazy, but aren't we all? ).

I have to admit, I was feeling pretty good because for the first time, I had
some folks to share this fun with!  I don't know if you've ever noticed it,
but things are always more fun when you have others to share the experience
with.  We compared seating tickets, and found out we were going to be sitting
next to each other.  So finally we were called in, sat down, and started our
meal while the "show" unfolded before us.  After a full week of a dry computer
conference, I fear I had lots of humor stored up, and proceeded to rip them
off as they came to me.  We all enjoyed each other's humor so much that it
wasn't long before we were all in tears.

Not long after the meal started, a photographer came around asking people if
they wanted their picture taken while sitting at your place wearing your little
crown.  When they got to us, this family I was with insisted I be a part of
their picture.  I was truly touched.  Upon leaving, I _had_ to purchase one
of these pictures.  Whenever I think of that evening, or look at that picture
I can't help but smile.

At the end of the night, they asked for my address so they could send me
duplicate pictures of anything that came out.  I promised them the same as
well.  I was touched again at this gesture.

I realized that for the second time in my life I had adopted a brand new
family.  Or did they adopt me?  I'm never sure.  But that they would go to
so much trouble for _me_, a total stranger, was very unexpected but totally
appreciated.  I've never thought much of doing anything alone, much less
travelling, but after that experience I'll never have misgivings about doing
it again.  I can't remember the last time I had that much fun!

On the plane the next day, I realized that the people around us must have
thought I _belonged_ with them.  And you know what?  I don't think I could come
up with a higher compliment for them than that.

Surely, an example of Human Relations at its best.

I've never had an experience like that.  Are there others out there with
similar stories?  I'd love to hear them!


Brian

    
    	Brian,
    
    	    Reading your story brought back alot of memories. One in
    particular was when my wife and I were in Hawaii during Christmas
    of '84. One evening we went on a sunset sail on a Catamaran. (the
    one with all the mai-tais you could drink) I was armed with my trusty
    35mm camera, snapping some fantastic photos of the best sunset we
    had encountered the whole two weeks we were there. An elderly couple
    was sitting next to us and the gentleman told me that he had forgotten
    his camera back in his hotel room. We go to talking and he asked
    if I would be willing to mail him a copy of the the pictures that
    I had been taking. I told him that I would love to but neither of
    us had a pen to jot down his address. So, after the ride, we went
    to their suite (which just happened to be at the same hotel) so that
    I could get their address.
    	The bar in their room was very well stocked and we stayed there
    until 3:00am the next morning. We took lots of pictures during the
    evening. They showed us around their suite and I had commented on
    how monsterous their bed was. Bill and Jean's kids had sent them
    to Hawaii for Christmas and wanted to have fun by getting a picture
    of the four of us IN BED!!! By that time, I was game for just about
    anything. So I set the self timer on my camera and we all jumped
    in bed. Bill and I took off our shirts and the women pulled the
    sheets up to their necks so that we all looked naked!
    	We sent them a copy of all the pictures and one 11"x14" of the
    sunset. They sent a picture of us together to their kids and they
    couldn't believe just how great a time they had. We still write
    to each other (they live in Michigan, we in Vermont) and when our
    daughter was born last year, Jean made her a nice sweater set.
            
        Thanks for the memories...
    
    Dan
    
     

    
    The nicest people I've ever met were on a cruise ship.  I've taken
    2 one-week cruises and both times I've met the nicest people some
    of whom I still keep in contact with. I think the enviornment
    lends itself to seeing the best side of people (even me!).
    
    Donna
    
    P.S.  There is a Medieval Times here in Buena Park, CA ... it is
          a whole lot of fun!