The Slice: Friendliness can lead us on right path

You are entitled to your own views about the people who actually live here.

You know what they say about opinions.

But take it from me. Those who come to Spokane for a visit tend to be pretty nice.

To be more specific, the people who come here and get momentarily lost in downtown are almost always friendly.

You see, it’s fairly easy to spot someone who needs help with directions. And I love assisting these folks.

I’ve been doing it for a while. I wrote a feature story in 1995 about my secret identity, Mr. Friendly, and his relentless quest to help out-of-towners find the federal building or Nordstrom.

OK, I realize I am not the only downtown worker who does this. Lots of people are happy to nudge confused visitors in the right direction. It requires little effort.

In any case, the rewards are immediate and gratifying. At a time when civility can’t always be taken for granted, a sincere “Thank you” from a stranger feels good.

Lately though, people have seemed especially grateful for a little help. It’s as if I had done more than point and say, “Head down to that next corner and go left.”

I’ve been wondering why.

Here are my theories.

1. People are relieved that I am not a panhandler, proselytizer or politician.

2. Some people are a little afraid of downtowns, even a cozy one like ours.

3. Compared to some I’ve heard, my directions are concise and coherent.

4. Often visitors are relieved to learn that they are quite close to where they want to go.

5. There is so much anger and craziness out there. Some of us have our guard up all the time. It feels good to let it down for a second.

6. People are initially concerned about the fact that their body language or facial expressions gave off obvious signs of uncertainty or even vulnerability. It’s a relief for them to realize that the person who picked up on that isn’t a predator.

7. A lot of those visiting Spokane come from places where good manners are still the norm.

What would you add to that list?

Today’s Slice question: What percentage of Inland Northwesterners said to have national reputations actually do?