If you were to ask my friends and family to describe me, my sense of humor would be the first thing they mention. I use it to make connections, allow others to feel more comfortable, and alleviate conflict or awkwardness. One instance that comes to mind dates back to December of 2020, when I was working at a local restaurant during a spike of COVID 19 cases during the ongoing pandemic. Because of the circumstances, we were strictly enforcing masks and social distancing. Most customers were understanding of the requirements and longer wait times, but on occasion we would encounter that one party who would become outraged by this and decide to take it out on whichever 14-17 year old host who happened to greet them at the door. I had become pretty skilled at talking down these angry, grown men who were almost driven to tears over a mask policy, but in this one case, the “gentle”man proved to be more difficult to talk to than most. He asked to speak to the manager, of course, so I told him I would be right back. I remembered that the manager on duty had left to go to the local bar, which he often did, leaving either me or another coworker in charge. Knowing this, I turned my back to the man, waited a moment, and then turned back around and introduced myself as the manager. I expected to be called another salty word by the customer, but believe it or not, the man chuckled and let his guard down. I was then able to reason with him, and he finally agreed to the requirements for entry. I was then able to seat him at a table to be served.