Marthaville resident Chris Fertitta has started an initiative to bring back friendliness and camaraderie with one gesture: A simple wave to those you meet in passing.
“I came up with the idea about two and a half years ago,” Fertitta said.
He continued to explain he’s always been a “waver” and that nobody seemed to participate or even recognize this simple gesture anymore even though it was commonplace as he was growing up.
“Mom and I decided to bring it back,” he continued. “A little wave may just brighten someone’s day when its most needed. It’s a connection without connection that makes you feel good.”
In the time sense, Fertitta has spent a lot of time at the drawing board and is now implementing his plan to make society as a whole just a slight bit friendlier. He has “Bring the Wave Back” signs printed and has even emblazoned his new signature phrase across the windshield of his Chevrolet Corvette, with bigger plans coming.
“I want these signs to be seen everywhere,” he said. “Not just on the side of the road, but also on the sides of businesses and homes. Locally, it sends a great message.”
He points out that in tourism heavy areas like Toledo Bend and Natchitoches it sends out good signals, as overall friendliness not only encourages people to come back but also improves there experience while in the area.
“I truly believe in this,” he said. “I believe in it enough to spend my own money because in the long run it improves society.”
In many ways, this entire initiative is just a derivative of lessons he learned growing up working and existing at Fertitta’s Delicatessen in Shreveport, which members of his family have owned since its opening in 1927. The restaurant serves as one of Shreveport’s oldest surviving establishments and has served countless versions of its muffuletta to happy customers during its long existence.
“I learned to be a people person from my Uncle Sam in that restaurant,” he explains. “I saw him really make an attempt to connect with those who patronized the restaurant.”
The lessons learned there not only translated to him becoming a successful salesman for a number of years, but also in working at the restaurant himself. While in between sales jobs and waiting out a no-complete clause, he waited tables for a year and a half to make ends meet.
“I was a horrible waiter,” Fertitta says laughingly. “I could only work two or three tables at a time because of the lack of those skills, but being friendly made all the difference in the world.”
Fertitta is also quick to exclaim that these gestures can change a person for the better.
“In my younger years I was a rage filled person and God has changed me so much over the years,” he said. “There’s a market for positivity and we should be hungry for a revival of niceness. Phones and technology in many ways have made us turn inward and become impersonal to the point any little bit of positivity is needed.”
Indeed, we can all agree that anything that brings a little more positivity and inclusiveness to the world is worthwhile.
He encourages anyone who might want to host a sign make contact with him at 318-8346339.