(Jan. 22, 2012) – One of my new favorite books is Tom Peter’s “The Little Big Things.” I heard Tom speak about the book a couple of years ago at Debbie Weil’s “Sweets & Tweets” event at Baked & Wired in Georgetown. Tom was everything I imagined he would be in person – and so was the book.
The essential premise of the book is that often the small things that happen between people become the things we tend to remember most vividly. Interactions that are unique, personal, intimate and often unexpected stay with us long after we have forgotten many other things. Tom posits that it’s these small things that feed relationships, engender loyalty to businesses, and sometimes change the course of history.
Such a “little big thing” happened today at Young’s Dry Cleaners on Fairfax Boulevard in Fairfax City. Julia’s family took over the dry cleaner’s in 2004. It’s within walking distance of my house in Fairchester Woods and over the years I’ve developed a very friendly relationship with Julia and her mother – the only person I trust with my alterations.
I called Julia this morning to see if her mother would be there because I needed some pants hemmed and the sleeves shortened on a jacket. It snowed last night and the streets were messy so I wasn’t sure her mom would be there. Julia assured me she could do the pinning and she would be there until they closed tonight at 7 pm. Read More