As a hip & happening young adult, my Dad sat through the long lines at the gas station during the two (major) oil crises of the 1970s.  He had a lot of time to sit in his car, thinking.  What did he notice?  Well, he came to realize that the better the Gas Station Attendant knew you, the more willing he was to grant you more gasoline.  A very simple concept, that turned into a very simple hypothesis: always be friends with the gas station attendant.  I grew up knowing the names of the gas station attendants at the local gas stations.  My Dad (without fail) would get gas at the same gas station every time he had to refuel the car (always after church on Sundays and sometimes midweek).  I quickly fell in line with this. 

It saved me numerous times.  (One ridiculous incident involved my Dodge going stone dead on the hill two blocks up from the Texaco, my electrical system shot, the horn set to blare every time I hit the brakes).  In any case, this theory transcends the gas station, encompassing pretty much everything.  This morning is our case-in-point….

Scenario: Ridiculously important meeting.  I have to get the coffee.

I race out, confident that I can get this done in the seven minutes before the beginning of the next meeting.  It would have been possible, if I had remembered to bring money.  Yeah, I realized it while on line at Starbucks, and well, dang.  I immediately ran out of there and down to a lovely little bakery.  It’s where I order the food for my company’s bi-monthly meetings.  Since I have to deal with them regularly, I go in there about once or twice a week – just to check in and, in general, be friendly. 

I ran in, didn’t even have to explain the situation, just stated “I need free coffee” and she waved me through to grab the cups.  Amazing!  I thought this require explanation, at least.  It didn’t.  She kind of laughed at me and shook her head, but that’s expected.  After I delivered the coffee, I went back and paid her – she laughed at me again.  It was pretty terrific.