I am not native to North Carolina, all my clients and friends already know that my beautiful wife and I are indeed Yankees, but we have loved living here for over a decade and found that the southern way of life fits us phenomenally well. That being said, here is a brief story of a recent service call I was on.
I was asked to arrive at 2:00 to the home of couple having issues with their computer (just another day on the job). Arriving to this first time customer, I noticed that their small home and lawn was immaculate in detail, I was envious and taking mental notes on how to beautify my own lawn to this level.
The couple met me at the door with huge smiles and immediately offered me a sweet tea; I politely declined as they directed me to their laptop on the dining room table.
While interviewing the husband on the issues at hand, the aroma of apple pie infatuated my senses (as a boy my grand mother made me apple pie, a memory I relish). I desperately attempted to stay focused, but on this particular day I had skipped lunch in lieu of a late breakfast and a promised early dinner and honestly I was pretty hungry.
I graciously accepted the second offering of a glass of tea from the lady of the house and as it enveloped my parched throat on this warm summer day, again I revisited the memories of my grand mother and her repeated and successful attempts to spoil me as a child.
Now the scent of that apple pie and the taste of true southern sweet tea had me completely off my game and my concentration level was at an all time low. In other words, that Apple Pie had my complete and total attention and the laptop was a distant second on my agenda at the moment.
Quickly I gave myself a mental slap to revive my priorities and recuperate my senses, knowing I couldn’t carry on, I politely requested to retain the laptop to my office workshop, where efficiency would be more in order. He agreed and commented that the computer was not needed for a while and called to his wife to return and walk with us to the door. As she entered the room, I immediately noticed the pie, wrapped in foil, as she placed it on top of the laptop in my hands and smiled and said this was for me and my wife’s dessert tonight. My loss for words was small in comparison to the void in my stomach, I knew she would not accept no for an answer and I certainly didn’t want to refuse. I politely exited with the computer and pie.
At the dinner table shortly thereafter, my wife served the apple pie and to this day I have never tasted anything so delicious. Whether it was the scent of the pie or the memories of my beloved grand mother, I am unsure, but one thing is certain, the pie plate and laptop was returned the next day, without an invoice!
We LOVE NC!
John McCann
704-662-6845
John McCann & Associates