A Day of Expectations Exceeded

Posted by Deborah Chaddock Brown on January 5, 2009 under Expectations | 2 Comments to Read

First official work/school day of the new year.

The alarm went off at 5:45am.  Ugh.  I fully expected my children to give me a hard time about getting up.  A middle schooler and a high schooler, they aren’t as anamored with school as they once were.

However, there we all were, sharing breakfast at 6:30am – six minutes ahead of schedule.  Hmmm.  That was nice.

I balanced my checkbook and discovered that the check for the license bureau hadn’t cashed which meant my tags expired five days ago.  Egads.  I drove 30 minutes to the office to see if I could pay for my tags in person fully expecting a long wait and a difficult discussion.

“Do you still lease the vehicle?”

“No, I bought it in February,” I replied.

“Oh – that’s why it wasn’t cashed – you need new plates.  Can you come back with your title and proof of your e-check?” 

No scolding.  No chastising.  No rude dismissive attitude.  In fact, she leaned over the counter and said “Drive nice and slow and come right back.  We’re here until 6:30pm”

Wasn’t that nice?  DMV – nice.  I always thought that was an oxymoron.  Now whose the moron?  Me. Gee, driving on illegal plates for 11 months!

Well, ignornance is certainly bliss – I was never so careful as I was after learning my plates were ILLEGAL.  Home I went to retrieve the title – a quick trip to for an updated e-check (everything was a-okay and it was free!  Another unexpected delight) and back to the DMV where I was wisked to the head of the line.  (okay I was the only customer but don’t you usually have to wait?  I brought a book expecting the wait to be long.)

Zip-zip-zip, I had new plates.  Wait.  I don’t have any tools.  “No problem,” the clerk said.  “Here is a flathead and a Philips screwdriver.”

Out I went to change my plates that are permanently attached to my car.  They haven’t been changed since 2003.  The screws aren’t budging.  I returned the tools afraid I would have to drive ever so carefully home with the old plates.

“Try Goodyear next door,” one of the clerks over heard my situation. “I bet they can help.”

I drove over to Goodyear and Andy came out and changed my plates.  For the record – he couldn’t get them off with the screw driver either.

“There you go,” he said, when the task was done.

“Great!  How much do I owe you?”

“Nothing.  Just come back again when you need us.”

Color me DELIGHTED.

Did anyone offer me anything extraordinary?  Nope.

Did it cost anyone anything to exceed my expectations?  Not really.

How am I feeling?  Pretty terrific!  I started out the day with a set of expectations and each one was exceeded just enough to make me feel great. 

It really doesn’t take a whole lot to make someone’s day extra special.  What did you do today to exceed someone’s expectations?  How did it make them feel?  How did YOU feel?