Jack Knox: Seinfeld’s the ticket for someone who gives you a lift

Who knew the Seinfeld tickets would go to someone from the same building as Andris Freimanis?

Who knew the pickle-winner would have been heading for the passport office?

When writing recently about the helpful manner of Freimanis, the commissionaire at the Passport Canada bureau in the Bay Centre, I asked readers to submit names of others who are particularly good with the public.

The nominees’ names went into a random draw for Jerry Seinfeld’s May 4 show in Victoria. The nominator got a jar of my wife’s pickles (which are, frankly, worth more than the tickets).

Linda Cook submitted the winner: “This past Friday morning, with some trepidation, I entered the underground parking lot at the Bay Centre; my destination was the passport office. I was not at all comfortable in that dismal plot of concrete.”

That’s where she ran into Nicki Snow, who, recognizing Linda’s discomfort, guided her not just to the elevator but rode with her to her fourth-floor destination.

“Nicki stayed with me and actually opened the door to the passport office,” Cook wrote. “And you know who greeted me with ‘come on in’ — Mr. Freimanis.”

“I am so very grateful to Nicki, who turned my day into one of gratitude for the wonderful people in Victoria who often go above and beyond to help but most often are unnoticed by the public.”

Bay Centre manager Darlene Hollstein says Snow, a part-time washroom attendant, was on her break when she ran into Cook. “She’s a really good soul, for sure, compassionate and kind.”

Some of the other nominees:

• David Glen chimed in for Dar, who meets customers at Individual Dry Cleaners on Fort Street.

“Her old-fashioned style of customer service — full-on greeting, listening, eye contact, humour, relationship-building, thank you’s — Dar is in my opinion second to none! Her fashion style and upbeat personality blended with a wicked wit are a tonic in the all too common lacklustre customer service exhibited by those human robots encountered in many other businesses.” Example: Dar’s senior discount is a “handsome man” discount.

• Russell Books’ Andrea Minter likes Tess Lopez, the owner of the nearby Aegean Café, so much that she wanders over for lunch five days a week.

“She is a lovely lady. Not only does she greet you by your first name when you walk in the door (after meeting you only once), she knows what you are wanting to order, or at least remembers what you last ordered from your previous visit. She has the ability to make you feel important right when you walk in the door; you don’t see this kind of service every day.”

• Dennis Mahoney praised Bill Harding, better known as Kitchen Bill at the Salvation Army on Johnson Street, where as manager of food services he shares the bounty he collects with Our Place, the Miracle Kitchen, the Rainbow Kitchen, St. John the Divine and other south Island agencies. He also runs the ARC kitchen, which delivers almost 18,000 meals a month to those in need.

“Although not known to the general community, Bill Harding is known to those agencies in the region that deal with the less fortunate,” Mahoney wrote. “He has been the main provider of food supplies to many, many agencies over the years.”

• A. Robby McRob nominated Marilyn Schick, “an extraordinary teacher of English. She teaches new immigrants to Canada. Marilyn is a happy, bubbly, outgoing woman who has a great appreciation and understanding of new Canadians. … She can make anyone relax and feel at home when speaking with her.”

• Bill Stavdal appreciates James Clark, the always-smiling greeter at Uptown Wal-Mart: “He became memorable to me one day years ago at the old Wal-Mart. At the door, I asked him where I could find product X. ‘Down the main aisle, sir, and to the right,’ he said.

“I set off, then remembered that I needed something to the left of the main aisle, and headed that way.

“I heard rapid footsteps behind me. It was James, who had observed me go. ‘Sir,’ he panted, ‘it’s to the right.’

“We have exchanged greetings ever since.”

Thanks to everyone who wrote in with names, and thanks to all those who go the extra mile in dealing with the public.