The Art of Asking

I need about twenty take away containers for a series of sauces I'm making. Working at a Chinese restaurant, I thought it'd be pretty easy to ask my boss (Jimmy) for some, but I spent ages deliberating. Can I ask for that? 'Sure,' said Mum, 'Think of it as a long-service leave present'. But how much would it cost? On the calculator at work I estimated that it'd be about two to six dollars. That's alright, right? I waited and pottered around before going into the kitchen and asking Jimmy. I used the same sort of whiney tone I use with the parents when I want something. Jimmy said yes straight away, with a wave of his hand as if it was no worries. As he was packing them, he expressed polite interest in my cooking task.

All that fuss over nothing. But even if he'd said no--it's not as though it's the end of the world. Then I'd just buy some from Woolies or something. No big deal.

There's no harm in asking. The generosity of others might surprise you.

I suppose I should have known better since I watched Amanda Palmer's Ted talk, The Art of Asking, a few months back. It's lovely to see someone so open, confident and experienced--so in touch with what really motivates people. Check it out if you haven't already.