"The Nutster.....makin copies..."

Today, I took a vacation day from my day job - so I could go do some HappyUP!!!-ing for one of my corporate clients. I was up late last night creating a new handout for this morning's training. After finishing, I thought, "I could run over to Kinko's now and make copies." But, it was 10 pm. I already was going to get up at 4 a.m. so I could beat the traffic down to my venue.

"Hey, I'll be in town 2 1/2 hrs before my engagement. There has to be a Kinko's or copy shop nearby," was my thinking.

I took the drive down to San Jose. I went past my venue in the business park and went on a search. Like any real man, I wouldn't think of stopping and asking someone.

Well, not until I had seen way too many businesses and NO copy houses! I went into Starbucks. I got my mocha. I did the un-manly thing, "Excuse me, do you know if there is a copy place nearby?"

"You're standing in one," was the reply.

"No, copy....not cofee," said I.

"I'm from Portland, I wouldn't know."

I then saw a local policeman. A rather portly policeman...even for a policeman. "Excuse me officer, could you tell me where the closest place I can make copies is?"

"I really have no idea. Why don't you ask the lady behind the counter?" was the help that I got from the local authorities.

"OK....mam, do you know where I can get copies made?"

Well, she may make a heck of a chai latte but, outside of that, I had reached the no help desk.

The policeman jumped back in, "why don't you ask the hotel next door?"

Seeing that Starbucks wasn't brewing up or grinding out any solutions, I took the advice. I walked next door to the Hilton. It was one of those garden inn type places. It's a step up from a motel but it doesn't do the full lobby thing like a full-on hotel does. I walked up to the check-in desk.

"Mam, can you tell me where the closest place is that I can make copies for a presentation I am giving this morning?"

"It's right down the hall in our business center."

"Excuse me, what did you say?"

"You can make copies down the hall to your right?"

"Thank you very much," I beamed.

And beaming, I was. I could smell a HappyUP!!! coming. I walked down the hallway expecting to find a copier that you needed to stick your room key, a credit card, cash, something into to make it work. There was none of that. I put two pieces of my presentation into the feeder. I looked at the display.....YES!!!! It duplexes!!!
I ran....yes, I ran....out to my car, grabbed my purple paper and hustled right back in there.

I thought, "wait, Nutster, are you stealing?"

Then, I said, "I did give her the extra opportunity to ask me if I was a guest." With that, the copies started flying.

Now, if I was 100% honest, I suppose I would have volunteered that I was not a guest that evening. I would have then explained that I do travel on business more than the average person does in a year and that I often stay at Hilton. I think, at that point, she would have given me the approval. And, I was supplying my own paper so all I was really scamming on this was a little electricity and some toner.

USE HILTON FOR YOUR NEXT VACATION or BUSINESS TRIP

(There......now I feel better. I wasn't stealing. We just did what is known in the industry as a "trade out")

The real point of the story: I never once was panicked or concerned about getting these vital materials copied. I didn't get frazzled when no one helped me. I just kept at it and looked at this as an opportunity that a HappyUP!!! might occur. All I was looking for was to be able to tell a tale of how someone gave me some directions and those directions led me to having to spend $5-7 on some materials. Little did I know, my HappyUP!!! would be a feeling that getting copies was a game......and I won!

....and another story and testimony to the power of HappyUP!!!