Simple Ways to Make Someone's Day

Waiters, bus drivers, and more reveal the little things that make a difference.

Letter and Newspaper Carriers

• Control your pets. Even if you think your dog is about as fierce as Snoopy, keep him on a leash or behind a closed door, suggests Andy Petersen, a Washington, D.C., letter carrier. You don't know if a particular carrier is averse to animals.
• Clear the front stoop. Getting past piles of toys and bikes is "like picking your way through a minefield," says Mark Sims, who delivered mail for 21 years in Springfield, Missouri.
• Don't block the box. Move garbage cans out of the way.
• Offer them a beverage. It can warm them up or cool them off, depending on the weather, says Sims. Baked goods and thank-you notes are also appreciated.
• Learn their name and use it. He or she knows yours.