Bad day at work

I usually enjoy my work. Sure there are ups and downs, but not many to constitute to a bad day at the office.

Until today.

Today I got my work appraisal.

While I can't argue with the fact that I could not catch up with the speed of the service, I was shocked at a line that was written on the appraisal form.

"More interaction with pax (passengers) is needed, at the moment it's rudimentary only"

Rudimentary!! That's to say I'm still an amateur at this! While I may not be that chatty a person, especially when sober, I wouldn't call my PR skills rudimentary! I would like to think that I come across as a professional when working in the premium classes. No corny jokes, no loud guffaws, no overtly-animated gestures. Just even-toned, short conversations with people who would have more on their minds; work or rest mainly, than let the service staff get all buddy-buddy with them.

How does one strike up a conversation with passengers who've just finished work in the office at night, travelled an hour or so to the airport and wish only to keep to themselves on board. Them watching their movies with their headphones on just screams, "Don't bother me other than to serve me dinner."

The next thing this bugger told me got me hot under the collar.

"You know why I didn't respond much to you when you spoke to me? It's cuz I was testing you, to see how far you'd go to break the ice with me."

Is he kidding or what?? I thought that's what the forms are there for, to be as transparent as possible when it comes to appraisals, right?!! He had to resort to his own pseudo-psychological test just so that I would communicate with him on a different level?

"Hey you dumb f##k, move your lips and tell me how you would like to run this dinner service! I can't f##king read your mind leh, what if my trolley set-up is not to your liking, how? And stop grunting when I ask for your opinions, people from this planet respond when spoken to!"

Bet that'll get him talking...