by Lucy E. Zahnle

Created on: September 15, 2009

Standing in my merchant booth at a renaissance faire one Saturday afternoon, I watched a fellow vendor shoo a group of five little girls out of his space, his hands fluttering in irritation as he turned his back on them to attend an adult customer. He was the sixth vendor they'd visited that day and not a single one had had the patience to answer their questions.

The children, all around twelve years old, huddled together for a moment, talking and looking down merchant row at the prospects left to them. Finally, five pairs of bright eyes lit on my jewelry table, sparkling with rhinestones, silver, and gold.

They strolled over to my booth and began to shop, trying on overlong necklaces and holding massive earrings up to their pretty, little ears. While her friends debated the merits of bangle bracelets, gold or silver, narrow or wide, one little girl started to ask questions about both the inexpensive costume jewelry and the pricey hand-cast, very period pieces that are my husband's specialty.

I fielded her queries patiently, waiting on other customers between answers. From several different pieces, she eventually narrowed her interest down to one hand-cast piece, a sterling silver Celtic Spiral with amber stones that cost eighty dollars. Although I was certain she couldn't afford it, I told her all about the piece; how it was based on Norse archaeological finds; how the mold was hand-carved; how the piece was hand-cast and hand-finished. In short, I treated her as if she were an adult customer.

Finally, after a half an hour of questions, she fell silent, studying the swirls of silver and the amber's honeyed glow. Then she looked up and smiled. "I'll take it!" she said, opening her pouch. She whipped out two fifty dollar bills, confiding that this was birthday money and that she had just turned thirteen.

The other girls gathered around to examine her purchase and I grinned, masking my surprise as I counted out her change. Before she left, she smiled at me again and said, "Thanks for telling me all about your stuff. The other merchants wouldn't even talk to us!"

The children strolled away, chatting and giggling. I watched them go, realizing that I had made that sale because I had taken the time to wait on little customers who might not actually buy, choosing to treat them as persons of consequence instead of ignoring them.

Little customers grow up to be adult customers and they remember who treated them well, who respected them and made them feel that they were important, and who didn't. They will reward adults who value them, whether as customers, relatives, or students, with mutual esteem. Everyone, regardless of age, deserves respect and courtesy, two qualities that cost nothing to give, but return very great benefits.

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