Today is Sunday the first day of the week for me, as I have my weekly off days at the office on Friday and Saturday. It’s a busy day ahead but I smile and move on. I sit at my desk glued to the computer checking emails, responding to some and sending some. Busy in my own world. I begin munching carrots (my favorite morning snack, healthy and crunchy!) Karamchand would have surely requested me to assist him in his next detective venture, had he still been solving mysteries!
I like the ambience of my office. It has a lovely view of all the skyscrapers towering over each other. It?s well lit up with Glass doors everywhere. (Good for me! With no mirrors around I take a peek every now and then at my hair or my skirt before I enter the cabin of my boss). I sit at the reception and wear a smile on my face all the time. We have a lot of visitors coming in every half hour or so. Some asking whether I need a sandwich to eat, others offering a whole Chinese Combo meal just for 6 dhs! But I wouldn?t advice anyone to even try the Chinese Combo (The fried rice is a total mishap complete with a seasoning of whole red Kashmir chillies in it!) The Chinese chicken reminds you of a sticky soup you once had at Uncle’s Kitchen and you wanted to throw up immediately).
Others who visit our office range from Magazine subscribers to Hoteliers, all trying to make easy conversation with the phrase: “YOUR FACE LOOKS FAMILIAR.” Is this a new sales tactic that’s being taught at various institutions offering lessons on how to sell a product or is it just an old tag line being re-invented by sales persons? Some visitors can get on your nerves as they are never ashamed of asking “Are you a Mangy or a Goan?” I wonder whether their prices would be a lot more cheaper if I were an East Indian?
Today was the height of peppy talk. One gentle man comes in gives me his hotel card and says: “YOUR FACE LOOKS FAMILIAR”. I think I met you at a public speaking course or some marriage encounter. I retort back saying: “Oh yeah! I remember it was held at your hotel and the food was disgusting!” His face drops from a chirpy yellow peach to a dried up lemon. My colleague sitting on the desk next to mine just could not hold back her laughter and she burst out. I apologized to the gentleman and told him the truth. He too apologized and said yes we sometimes try to start a conversation thinking this will help us to improve our sales tactics.
I felt sorry for the poor chap. He was just trying to do his job and there I was trying to teach him a lesson in sales! I will always remember his face for a lifetime and if I happen to meet him someplace, I will surely say: “YOUR FACE LOOKS FAMILIAR”.
Author: Ramona Pereira- UAE