[Dondoh]

I was a bartender for about 10 years. One night, out of sheer boredom, I decided to try to be really nice to people.

Don't get me wrong, I am a nice guy and was a very sympathetic and friendly bartender. What I am talking about was being REALLY overly nice to folks.

I decided to pick a persons fault and compliment them on their lack of it. For instance, if someone was tight as a tick, I would say how generous they were. Or if they were really nasty to folks generally I would say something like "I know you can sometimes put up a hard front, but you are the nicest person in this place underneath, I know it."

Well, I started small and was amazed that anyone would take any compliment if it was offered well.

I tested it in the most outrageous ways and never had anyone catch on. Some might have denied it, but it was that kind of half-sincere denial that let me know they were definately taking the compliment.

So, I think being nice to the fish is a great thing to do. It will piss off the "authority" at the table and make the fish have more fun.

I never can understand why anyone feels the need to humiliate someone who just shows up to have a good time.