#iisalmi

Firs the biker seller; He was about middle-aged man. Super nice and chatty! And that bike is super beautiful too! I can’t wait to try it in the spring time when roads are no longer covered with ice.

Then, in a food market, I was looking ready moose meatballs from meat counter when older woman came to serve me. She was SUPER LOVELY INSTANTLY! She had done her eyebrows, had mascara + other make up and bright pink+purple lipstick! Super pretty and suited her! She was also wearing glasses.

She asked me what I wanted and I told her I want 2 moose meatballs. She took plastic box, placing the balls in it. Then she looked at me, asking (in Savo’s dialect); “Do you mind if I put some sauce in?”

I said; “Of course not! You can drown them if you want to!”

She smiled as she started to add the sauce in the box; “Drown them. I like that!”

I told her I like sauce a lot and it’s made to be used. She said she knows exactly what I’m saying and understands me, because she too loves sauce. Then we ended up talking how it’s easier to buy ready foods when you live alone. She lives alone too. She said it would be nice to have someone to share the food with and I agree with her. I don’t cook all that much because I usually am too lazy to cook for myself or I make too much food. It would be nice if someone would be there to share the food with me.

Anyway, we talked some more (she asked where we are from because we weren’t from near by area) and when we were leaving she gave us thumbs up many times as she told us, ladies, (mom and I) walk slow and carefully so that we won’t slip and hurt ourselves. She also told us to drive safely and then she wished us so much all kind of wonderful things in life <3

She clearly enjoys / loves her job! If every customer service person would be like her, honestly and truly loving their job and people, none never wouldn’t have bad customer service days for sure.

Blacksmith Pirttimäki, the first customer of a post-prohibition liquor store, receives a free bottle after queuing overnight. Iisalmi, Finland, 1932