And I Didn't Even Know His Name...

For the last year that I have worked in my new job ( well not so new any more I guess), I usually have gone to the cafeteria first thing in the morning to fill up my water bottle, get a cuppa green tea and a bagel or a donut and I wonder why the scales ain't tipping left !!, aah.. the ironies in my life.. but that is not what this post is about. This is about a person I met there often but never got to know his name.

The first time I saw him, it was just another usual weekday morning and I was trying to balance my tea, bagel and water bottle when I almost bumped into this kindly looking slightly older African American gentleman in a pair of grey overalls, the wireless equipment hanging off his belt, a warm smile and a southern drawl that said... hey beautiful.. you ok with all that in your hands? I looked up and smiled and said.. yup am good and walked away. Somehow the way he addressed me didn't seem flirtatious or rude; didn't even think about it even once through the day or later.
Since then, once in a while I saw him having his breakfast. If he was on his shift break while I got my tea I would see him, never spoke much; if his twinkling eyes caught mine, we would exchange a smile and nod. I can recall only once in this last year when we actually exchanged more than a few sentences. It was during lunch, I was waiting to heat my stuff by the microwave and I guess he was at the end of his break. Came up to me and said, what is your name :) ? and I told him.. asked him his and he did.. and like the idiot that I am, promptly forgot.

I asked about his family and he asked where I was from. He mentioned a few knowledgeable facts about India and talked a bit about his teenage kids. The microwave bell rang and I took his leave and he said in a very kindly tone, there is something so warm and beautiful about you. God Bless.. and walked away with this cheery smile. I stood there for a while, a wee bit dumbstruck but then my narcissism doesn't lend itself to much humility so off I went about my day with a spring in my step.

Today morning, I was back getting my tea and this time I was also balancing a little packet of cream cheese with my bagel. He saw me and stood up to come talk to me. I paused, wished him good morning asked him how he was .. his reply - where have you been beautiful?, haven't seen you for the longest time, all good with you? I said.. yup, just been busy, and not been getting my tea as much ( which is true, coz I have graduated to a soy latte as those who know me well are painfully aware). He smiled and said.. well I am here for just a week. I asked him why, how come, was he leaving? He in his usual cheery southern drawl said.. No hon, they gave me the layoff package.. so I am going to go back to Atlanta, that is where I am from, you see.

Everything kinda blurred for a few seconds, but then I maintained my oh-so-corporate demeanor and said.. I am sorry, good luck with every thing. He said.. thanks hon, I wanted to say goodbye to you, glad I saw you today. I flashed my pearly whites and said I am glad I saw you too and wished him the best with everything. I had to rush back to something and so couldn't even shake his hand coz both of mine were full. He gently touched my arm and said.. take care. I said, I will and wished him again, he touched his hand to his hard hat, nodded and walked away with a smile.
I came back to my desk and realized, I will never see him again but I wonder if I will ever meet a stranger who will wish me well each time he saw me. I wondered if, I should have put all the stuff in my hands down on a table and shaken his hand or given him a hug. I wondered, if I would remember him in 6 months as the kindly old man from my "green tea in the cafe" days. I wondered what he would do in Atlanta. I wondered if, I should have told him that my first city of entry in the US was his hometown. I realized our paths would never cross again and yet somehow, I felt I was richer by his fleeting presence in my life than I would have been without it.

How often do we sit back and think of the random acts of kindness that touch us? When do we have the time to be grateful for these moments when we are busy asking for a lot more tangible stuff? Even an idyllic moment like this will pass as I will complete this blog.. and some day when I look back , I will think.. yes there was this kind man who always called me "hey beautiful" and I didn't even know his name...