After attending a summer track practice when I was in the 6th grade, my parents stopped at JJ’s Ice Cream Hut on Route 3A. My friend and I were wide eyed as we perused the menu to pick an ice cream treat. There were price lists and pictures of scrumptious looking ice cream delights plastered on the large window store front. A teenage girl with a bright smile peeked out of one of the sliding windows and asked us what we wanted. “I’m going to work here when I get older!” I exclaimed to my parents.
A few years later I was 16, working age and it was springtime during my sophomore year when a quick memory of JJ’s flitted into my brain. I asked my mom to drive me to JJ’s to apply for a job. It was perfect timing. A manager was in and there were not a lot of customers. I decided to fill out the application in the car and I hurried back to submit it. The manager seemed delighted to see me back so quickly and asked me to come the following Monday to be trained.
I had many situations interacting with customers during my past two summers working at JJ’s. One woman ate half of her toasted coconut dipped vanilla cone and then decided she didn’t like it. With an angry tone, “This is not what I thought it would be! I didn’t think toasted coconut would be like this.” I gave her another cone and replied “Oh that’s ok, I hope you like the crunch coat. “ When she left, the customer in back of me made the sign of the cross and said “Bless you-I would never be able to put up with that.”

Another time, a little girl asked for a vanilla cone and my co-worker, Caitlyn, proceeded to scoop vanilla without cleaning the scooper. When the girl reached for her cone she grimaced. I knew right away the a little chocolate on vanilla was not going to be accepted. However, Caitlyn did not notice the little girl’s reaction but without saying a word, I made another vanilla cone and handed it to her. Her mom gave a nod, an appreciative smile and put a two dollar tip in the jar.
I come to realize that I have the ability to relate to many different personalities in various situations. It would be easy to be angry at being put in a difficult situation or to complain about the rudeness or pettiness of others; but it’s important to me to find the good in people and maybe my little acts of kindness will make a little corner of the world a better place to live.
Obtaining the job at JJ’s Ice Cream Hut was my first real experience of achieving a vision of my future. When I put my mind to it, I have proven I can reach many goals and be successful in what I do. I am on my way.