&quot;A soft answer turneth away wrath.&quot; - not sure who said it, but I agree.<p>On the other side of the fence, I find that a sympathetic word to a cranky&#x2F;grumpy cashier or salesperson can really help cheer them up. For example, &quot;Wow, looks like you&#x27;re having a super-busy day. How&#x27;s it going?&quot;