Julie The Manicurist

After a long, exhausting week, I decided to treat myself to a manicure. I was nearly falling asleep in the chair as Julie, the Korean woman at Benny’s Salon, painted my nails. We did some innocent chitchatting and we each tried to make small talk. It was smooth sailing, so I decided to mention that I have a Korean friend in college.  Julie’s eyes immediately lit up; she was practically glowing.  I was struck by the pride she felt for her heritage, her native language, and the intrinsic culture inherent in the two. Julie spent the next few minutes telling me all about the origins and the deeper meanings many Korean names. I doubt she was just doing that because she loves the sound of her own voice. I think I was just the first person to allow her to open up and share something personal.

As a customer, I felt much more comfortable once we had established some sort of interpersonal connection. Julie was not just the manicurist; she was a wholesome person with a passion for her background. Soon after our little chat came Julie’s offer to fix my nails if I ever I needed. She was careful to add, “for honesty—not for business.” I guess being nice comes with an added bonus.