nothing personal

  In thinking about the how the times have changed it came to me that business isn't personal anymore. I know the old adage, nothing personal, it's just business. We have all said that once or twice. What is the sentiment being expressed? What does that really mean? I'm more interested in making money than I am in making you happy. That's what I hear you saying anyway. It's just a practicality, a reality of life though and shouldn't be taken personally. That is the normal way of doing business these days. Personal service is just a catch phrase, an advertising gimmick. It's a façade. Thing is everyone knows that and it is expected. That is what has changed since I was a child. But then I realize I grew up in a small town where most people did know each other and business was a personal thing. Even as a child I knew the lady that had the corner store, Mary was her name and I called her Mrs. Damark. Her sister was Maggie and owned the bar right down the street. Truth is, when I turned 18 Dad and I went to Maggies and she gave me my first legal beer. I remember well Dad saying, Maggie gives us two beers. Maggie brought the beers and charged Dad for his but said to me, your old man has bought enough beers in here this one is one the house. I was welcomed into the family. Stories were told. 

  When I was fourteen or so I would pump gas at the local gas station. Olympic Heights service was owned by my fathers' best friend, at least partially. He allowed me to pump the gas and I got to hang around and learn about motors and stuff. I loved every minute of that. I called him Uncle George although he wasn't any relation of mine. That was how we showed respect to our elders back then, if that elder was friends to your parents, all other were Mr., Mrs., or sir and maam. Learned a lot hanging around with those men. Yeah took some teasing every once in a while but didn't feel like I was being bullied or marginalized! Heck, didn't even know what marginalized was. It was more personal than business. I found out years later that Uncle George had helped my father build bicycles for us kids one Christmas. Couldn't afford to buy brand new bikes for four kids, so they built them from old parts. That's personal stuff. Uncle George had a ledger book that you would write charges in. Just write in there Mr. Brown or whoever two dollars for gas or fifty cents for fishing bait. No signature required if it was written in the book that was good enough, proof positive that is what you owed. The guys would stop by on Saturday to settle up. 

  It was a little more than just knowing your name. The folks running the business knew you, your parents, and most of your relatives to boot. They had gone to school with them and there weren't many secrets. Seldom were those secrets mentioned but they were there. I believe all that acted as a sort of buffer. A filter you could say that maintained a sense of propriety. You knew each other personally but didn't want things to get "too" personal. It's a fine method in my opinion. Of course that was all back in the day. The day when any adult could rein in an unruly child and receive a thank you for doing so. The days when others respected your privacy and we didn't air our dirty laundry. Personal business was personal. Thing is business was personal then also. The customers needed the shop owners and the shop owner needed each customer. It was a rather precarious situation most of the time. A situation that has collapsed for the most part, relegated to nostalgia. Mom and Pop stores we call them now. Most have been crushed by corporate America. Nothing personal about any of it though, its' just business.