Posts
During my travels yesterday, I had a lay-over at Chicago O’Hare airport. I sat down at a small table across from my gate to catch up on my email and await the boarding call. There was a fellow sitting at the table next to me finishing off his burger and fries. The lid on his soda must not have been on quite right, for as he got up to leave, the full soda cup came splashing to the ground leaving the lid still in his hand. Luckily my suitcase and laptop bag were on the other side of me so I only suffered secondary splash on my jeans and boots. The man offered apologies and said, “I guess I better go find a way to clean that up.” He then headed off down the concourse not to be seen again.
Across the lane I saw a member of the Scrubs cleaning service shaking her head. (I think it is a great marketing angle this company has, by the way. They are called Scrubs. All the members of their cleaning crew wear uniforms patterned to look like medical scrubs with name, “Scrubs” embroidered over the breast pocket… clever.) The Scrubs gal brought her cleaning cart over and said, “… 'go find a way to clean that up'….. The man can see me standing right there!”
I smiled at her and said, “I’m not convinced that was his real intent as he left.” This made her laugh. Then I said, “I imagine it’s all too easy to feel invisible here, doing what you do among all the hubbub of travel.”
“You got that right,” she said as she continued working to clean up the spilled soda and dispose of the trash he had left on the table.
“Well I, for one, appreciate what you do. I know that you and the rest of the ‘invisible’ cleaning crew work hard to keep this place clean. That is not an easy job considering the sheer volume of people who come through here every day. I appreciate it.”
“Well thank you very much!” Her smile was beaming. “No one has ever said that to me before. You just made my day.” Her task was done at that point and she headed off to find the next mess to be cleaned up.
Actually, she had made my day. Just seeing that smile explode across her face and the change in her gait as she walked away made a long day of travel seem all worth while. I felt like I had been in the right place at the right time for the right reason – and I came out the beneficiary of the conversation.
High Road Challenge for the day: Who are the seemingly invisible people around you today? Is it the cleaning staff, or the fellow who comes in to maintain the plants in lobby? Maybe it’s the security officer who screens your bag or the voice at the other end of the drive-through speaker. Notice someone who is otherwise invisible and offer them appreciation for what they do to keep our lives humming along. You'll be amazed at how much that blesses your day.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Great story! It reminds me of an episode of the TV show Sports Night. Casey McCall, played by Peter Krause, is a guest on The View. Star Jones and Debbie Matanopolous compliment his taste in neckties. Star Jones tells him "a man who knows how to dress himself is a very sexy thing." Casey smiles and accepts the compliment, and the show closes. A few scenes later, back in the Sports Night office, Casey is watching a video of himself on The View, smiling smugly. Someone knocks on his door, and, after apologizing for bothering him, asks if she can ask him a question. Of course he says yes, but his self-assured demeanor changes almost immediately when her question is "what's my name?" Casey doesn't know, and makes a feeble attempt at an apology, saying "I'm not very good at remembering names." The visitor responds "Who was the #2 man on the Boston Red Sox staff in 1977?" Casey's reply--"It was Ferguson Jenkins." In 4 beautifully played wordless seconds, the look on the visitor's face made it very clear that they both knew he was just making an excuse. The rest of the scene goes like this:
ReplyDeleteMonica: My name's Monica. I'm the assistant wardrobe supervisor for Sports Night as well as two other shows here at CSC. I think you hurt the feelings of the woman I work for. Her name is Maureen and she's been working here since the day you started.
Casey: I know Maureen.
Monica: Can I ask you another question?
Casey: I'm sorry I didn't know your name.
Monica: (holding up a necktie) Do you know what color this is?
Casey: It's grey.
Monica: It's called gun metal. Grey has more ivory in it, gun metal has more blue. Can you tell me which of these shirts you should wear it with?
Casey: I don't know.
Monica: No you don't. There's no reason why you should. You're not supposed to know what shirt goes with what suit or how a color in a necktie can pick up your eyes. You're not expected to know what's going to clash with what Dan's wearing or what pattern's gonna bleed when Dave changes the lighting. Mr. McCall, you get so much attention and so much praise for what you actually do, and all of it's deserved. When you go on a talk-show and get complimented on something you didn't, how hard would it be to say "That's not me. That's a woman named Maureen who's been working for us since the first day. It's Maureen who dresses me every night, and without Maureen, I wouldn't know gun metal from a hole in the ground." Do you have an idea what it would've meant to her? Do you have any idea how many times she would've played that tape for her husband and her kids? (beat) I know this is when it starts to get busy for you, and I hope I didn't take up too much of your time. Please don't tell Maureen I spoke to you, she'd be pretty mad at me.
Casey: (pause) I won't, Monica.
(Monica leaves)
After Monica leaves, Casey remains at his desk, looking pensive.
Of course, this is TV, so Casey has the opportunity to make things right later. In life, we don't get that opportunity, at least not very often, so Lauren, your challenge is right on the mark.