Appreciation post: That deli owner who called me out on my lunch routine

I used to hit this sandwich shop in downtown Austin every Tuesday for 7 months, always ordering the same turkey club. The owner, this older guy named Frank, just nodded each time. Then one day he stopped me and said 'you ever try the pastrami, or are you just scared of change?' Right there in front of 3 other customers. It stung, but I tried the pastrami that day and it was way better. Now I ask him what's good each week and rotate through menu items I'd ignored. I still go every Tuesday, but now I share the chicken soup with another regular, this retired teacher. Has anyone else had a stranger call you out on a small habit that actually improved your life?

3 comments

3 Comments

emerym364d ago

That's just life finding ways to shake us out of our ruts.

avery2194d agoMost Upvoted

Last summer I lost my job and my car broke down in the same week, and I honestly thought the universe was just messing with me. But looking back, it pushed me to finally move to a city with better opportunities and meet some amazing people. @emerym36 is right, sometimes the shake-ups are exactly what we need even if they hurt at first. It's like the universe is just saying "hey, wake up!

iris9274d ago

Ha, that's such a good story. It's funny how we get stuck in these little routines and don't even realize we're missing out on something better until someone just calls us out on it. I've noticed that the people who really shake us out of our habits aren't trying to be mean, they're just paying attention in a way most folks don't.