For Wilshire Baptist Church
Have you ever been absent from a place for a long time and gone back and been welcomed as if you never left?
That happened to me recently at Pizza Getti, a little pizza and pasta place on South Buckner that I frequented for 20 years when I lived in the Casa Linda neighborhood in East Dallas. Small, quiet, friendly with great pizza for dining in or taking home, it was my to-go place until life took a turn and I moved to Garland. To the best of my figuring, I was absent from Pizza Getti for at least 18 years.
Then one day I was back in the old neighborhood and decided to order a sausage pizza to go. I called it in on my cell phone and gave my first name as usual. When I walked in the front door, I was pleased to see Kyle Rotenberry, the owner, at the back of the kitchen where I always saw him. But I was blown away when he walked toward the counter and said, “Hey Jeff, where’ve you been?” Oh my, what a greeting! It made my eyes water then and it does again just thinking about it.
As one of the cooks slid my pizza out of the oven and into a box, I brought Kevin up to date on the missing years: death of a spouse, time alone, married again and moved to Garland and not in the neighborhood anymore. I learned from him business was still good, although his brother, father and uncle are no longer in it with him. His children are grown up and in college now, including one at Baylor, and we recalled that we’re both alumni as well, although probably 10 years apart.
As I left with my pie, I promised I’d be back, and I have been. I’ve ordered take-out again, and LeAnn and I have eaten there as well. The food is great, but being recognized, remembered and appreciated is the best.
That’s probably why the Starbucks near where I worked in downtown Dallas always had a long line in the morning. I didn’t go there often, but I always noticed how the regulars would be called by name as they stepped up to the counter and sometimes were asked, “Want the usual?” Once while standing in line, I thought to myself, “If I ever walk up and they call me by name, that means I’m drinking too much coffee and spending way too much money on it.” Still, there’s no denying the power of personal attention and service to keep people coming back.
It’s the same way with my mother at The String Bean restaurant in Richardson. We go there with her and they call her by name, seat her at her favorite booth and know what she wants. They even sent a representative to my father’s funeral two summers ago. Likewise for our small Thursday morning breakfast group at Oasis Cafe on Greenville Ave. Nikisha and the other servers treat us like family, and we return the favor with good humor and decent tips.
I’ve told the story here about the second time I visited Wilshire, and lead usher Paul Mansfield recognized me and said, “Can you help us collect the offering?” I answered, “but I’m not a member,” and he replied, “Doesn’t matter, we need you.” That was 34 years ago. I chose Wilshire as my home church right then because a man I didn’t know remembered me and treated me like family.
There’s a lot of competition in the marketplace for our business nowadays, and it’s the places that treat us like old friends or even like family that usually win. I’ve found it true at restaurants, shops, health care providers, barbershops, car washes, and even at church. I want to spend my time and money with people who see me for more than just my wallet.