We’ve all been surprised at some stage in our lives. Some are pleasant and others can be quite disturbing. However, if used correctly, the element of surprise can greatly influence others.
The word surprise has its origin in Medieval Latin: surperprehendere, which means to “seize.” Later it was incorporated into the old French – surprendre - and then used in late Middle English to mean “unexpected seizure of a place, or attach on troops.” Today we use it as a noun to describe an unexpected event, or as verb to describe feelings.
It was on my way back home on an early morning flight that I had the best surprise in a long time. After getting settled in my seat, the airplane’s engines were at full thrust, and in a couple of minutes we were in the sky. Shortly afterwards the cabin crew began to serve a light breakfast, namely tea, or coffee and a croissant. I asked for tea and it was served in a paper cup with the tea bag and hot water already inside. I usually take a little bit of sugar with my tea and opened one of small cylindrical paper containers that is usually supplied and began to pour it into my cup. Seconds later, I realised that it was a white powder that going in my tea and not sugar. The white powder was milk substitute in fact. My tea immediately turned a muddy colour with bits of white floating on the top… Not very appetising, I assure you.
Sitting looking down at this cup, I plucked up the courage to sip a little bit of the tea with white bits floating on the top. It wasn’t too bad. Anyway, I put down the cup. One of the cabin crew was walking past and noticed the funny brew in my cup. Without saying a word, my cup was immedialty removed and a fresh brew was bought to me. Impressive and surprising, I certainly was not expecting anyone to notice it, let alone bring me a fresh tea. Even my neighbor complimented the cabin crew on their diligent sense of the customer, and powers of observation.
It was a small surprise to me that they bothered to change my tea without me asking them, and yet it meant a lot and caught the attention of others. Certainly, if this is the care that the airline gives its customers, then they have my full loyalty in the future!
The word surprise has its origin in Medieval Latin: surperprehendere, which means to “seize.” Later it was incorporated into the old French – surprendre - and then used in late Middle English to mean “unexpected seizure of a place, or attach on troops.” Today we use it as a noun to describe an unexpected event, or as verb to describe feelings.
It was on my way back home on an early morning flight that I had the best surprise in a long time. After getting settled in my seat, the airplane’s engines were at full thrust, and in a couple of minutes we were in the sky. Shortly afterwards the cabin crew began to serve a light breakfast, namely tea, or coffee and a croissant. I asked for tea and it was served in a paper cup with the tea bag and hot water already inside. I usually take a little bit of sugar with my tea and opened one of small cylindrical paper containers that is usually supplied and began to pour it into my cup. Seconds later, I realised that it was a white powder that going in my tea and not sugar. The white powder was milk substitute in fact. My tea immediately turned a muddy colour with bits of white floating on the top… Not very appetising, I assure you.
Sitting looking down at this cup, I plucked up the courage to sip a little bit of the tea with white bits floating on the top. It wasn’t too bad. Anyway, I put down the cup. One of the cabin crew was walking past and noticed the funny brew in my cup. Without saying a word, my cup was immedialty removed and a fresh brew was bought to me. Impressive and surprising, I certainly was not expecting anyone to notice it, let alone bring me a fresh tea. Even my neighbor complimented the cabin crew on their diligent sense of the customer, and powers of observation.
It was a small surprise to me that they bothered to change my tea without me asking them, and yet it meant a lot and caught the attention of others. Certainly, if this is the care that the airline gives its customers, then they have my full loyalty in the future!
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