A little respect can go a long way

Published 9:13 am Wednesday, March 25, 2015

I recently had the opportunity to take a visit to Las Vegas, Nevada. It is definitely one of my favorite vacation spots, and although “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,” that doesn’t mean I can’t still write about it in my column.

My parents took me to Vegas a few times when I was younger, and they explained to me that it is good manners to tip just about everyone who does anything for you in Vegas. One of those services that should really be tipped are the “free” shuttles that tourists can use to move from hotel to hotel. Yes, they are free, but the drivers still deserve a pat on the back (or a few dollars in their pockets) for getting us to and from our destinations safely.

I was with my friends, and we made a point of noting the kinds of people who gave a tip, and those who didn’t. I hate to stereotype things, but I noticed something very similar about those who didn’t tip — they were all young. I suppose you could put them in that group that the mainstream media has dubbed as “millenials.” I guess they were too busy looking at their iPhones to dig into their wallets for a buck — but I’m sure they’d have no issue of throwing away hundreds of dollars in the slot machines or at the craps table.

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I also noticed a certain lack of respect toward the end of my trip, when an airplane maintenance issue caused me to miss my connecting flight to Pensacola, Fla., and get stranded in Miami overnight. Before you ask why I had to go to Miami to get to Pensacola … you know, I really don’t have a good answer for that!

I realize that every job has its good days or bad days, but I can’t imagine that there are any less fun occupations than serving as a rebooking agent for a national airline. I’m sure just about everyone you deal with is in a bad mood, from missing a flight or having to reshuffle travel plans.

I noticed a few people in the line who were acting belligerent toward the clerk, and even using some curse language under their breath after leaving. I just can’t imagine that will do any good. I’m sure that these employees are doing everything that they can to fix the problem.

While I enjoyed my trip, I was a little disappointed to see so many of humanity’s worst qualities on display. I hope that all of us can be more understanding when we have to deal with underpaid and overworked employees in service positions. A little respect really goes a long way.