In my (J-A'ed) opinion

[This is something Anna posted on a forum, to a stranger.] In my (J-A'ed) opinion: stick with the light-hearted and more trivial work relationships, if that feels right to you. (At least for now? You can always re-evaluate, later ...) Thank those who wait on you, or perhaps find some small thing to notice about them, if you feel their service was good or acceptable. If service people think you notice and thank their efforts, they may go the extra mile for you, on the occasion when it counts. That haggard-looking check-out lady at the grocery? What is she wearing that jumps out to the eye? A necklace? Why a necklace? Ask why she wears this necklace. (Stretch goal: make up some compliment about it going with her eyes - ?! - or is this too much far-out-there-BS for you?). By stretching for offering such a compliment, one is forced to check out the color of her eyes, and she will notice that the person looked her in the eyes, in order to have gotten that information, and she will remember that this customer looked her in the eyes, and asked something about her.