On my first clown rounds at a veterans hospital, one of the patients passed me in the hall and said "Don't come in my room or I'll shoot you." The staff accompanying me told me that this guy didn't like clowns and showed me where his room was. A few weeks later I was on rounds by myself and forgetting the location, beeped my horn at the door and asked if I could come in to which he answered yes. Once in the room he told me he did not like clowns and suddenly I recalled his threat in the hall. Luckily my clown character is not afraid but inquisitive so I opened the conversation about his dislike. He'd had an annoying experience with clown doctors in another hospital once. We spent a few minutes getting to know each other and he decided at the end of that visit that he would see me again. Since that time I am welcomed with a booming "Come on in" and he has become one of my favourites to visit.

Thanks for sharing that story, Lemmie. You point out that the way to make friends is to be respectful, not to get in someone's fACE.
Good job.