He Taught me to Smile

For a working woman, every day is a challenge. Wake up early cook for the family, keep everything ready and rush to work, again come back in the evening and continue to finish the chores and retire to sleep.

Clock seems to tick fast and we tend to forget the basic necessities to smile, rewind and unwind.

World today is definitely changing and the surrounding we are in; a friendly hello and an open smile is doubted and makes us wonder why?

My story is almost the same, every day I get up early and rush to work. At work it is a new challenge every day. Some days are smooth and sails through easily and other days its tuff and hard to comprehend.

It was another Thursday, mid of the week and on waking up late I rushed to work without cooking anything and giving instructions to my husband to make something for himself. Morning breakfast was taken care by the humble oats and afternoon lunch was something I had to take care of.

My time at office was rather hectic, I was reprimanded by my boss and was bombarded with work and in between all this my hunger pangs began to shoot and quickly I ordered something online and continued with my work.

Till afternoon I moved about with a grumpy face and did not take efforts to talk to anyone. After almost 40 minutes I realized that my food hadn’t come and that’s when I checked my phone and found that the delivery partner had arrived. On peeping out of my work station, I saw a rather old short thin man waiting with a parcel in his hand. Immediately I recognized him and rushed to grab my food.

I was angry at him; I choose to ignore him and snubbed. Despite my grumpy attitude he apologized to me and told me he was waiting for me for about 3 minutes. I asked why he hadn’t called me, for which he gently smiled and told me that he saw everyone in the office busily working and he did not want to call and disturb me and had left a message for me, intimating about his arrival. He was calm and he smiled and asked me to give him the rating which he felt was apt and left the office with another broad smile.

There was something about this man that really shook me. The clutter, anger and the mixed thoughts in my heads seemed to have shut for a moment and I began to think about this gentleman. Usually when I order food, the delivery guys hurry since our office is in the 6th floor and they are allowed 10 minutes to deliver or else, they would be charged for parking. Most of them start calling from the lift and turn cranky when we are late even by 2 minutes to pick parcel from the door. This man, who was around 50 was so gentle and considerate, he did not mind about the parking fee but rather respected my time. He smiled, even after I snubbed at him, he chose to smile and was courteous enough to request me for a rating according to my choice.

The character of this man simply shook me. He wasn’t a man with degrees, he was not working in a posh office but rather roamed around the city carrying others food but he was courteous and put in all the efforts he could in the job, but with a smile. I realized how important a smile was after looking at him. My rather horrible day had turned into a good one and I learnt a lesson for life just by this man’s simplicity, honesty and that big wide smile.

I could not do much but I could tip him some extra amount for his brilliant work ethics and thank him profusely in my heart. This simple man had taught me to do my work diligently, despite the hurdles and above all he had taught me to smile.

Sonal lobo - Bangalore