Have you ever walked up to a restaurant counter to place an order, only to have the employee take your money and hand over your change without ever saying a word or cracking a smile? Unfortunately, that happens far too often, and society now treats that interaction as acceptable rather than as a form of dismissiveness. The truth is, no one likes to be dismissed and treated as though they are less valuable than someone else, so I try to make a point to create a conversation when that occurs, even if it's awkward.