I brought a bag of mandarin oranges with me to work today with the intention of distributing them to some of the people there. No, not those who work in the office but those other staff who don’t work at desks.
Those who work in the cushy office would no doubt have had their fill of mandarins and big lunches. But people like the guards and the sweepers were the ones I wanted to share a little festive joy with.
Strangely enough today, I didn’t meet any of the regulars that I often exchange greetings with when I drove in. I couldn’t very well lug a bagful of mandarins around with me. So I left the bag in my car.
After work, as I reached the exit where I had to swipe my card to leave, I finally saw a familiar face. He’s a guard I’ve never had the occasion to speak to but I know him on sight.
It’s hard to make eye contact with him but I always try to acknowledge him or nod at him. On a good day, he might nod back ever so slightly or raise his hand in a half-hearted wave. Over the months, I’ve learnt not to expect a response from him.
Clearly he’s not the friendliest person or maybe he’s just a shy guy. But I’m there to judge him. I imagine he must have his own reasons for his rather gloomy disposition. I just thought it might be nice if he could just manage a smile now and then.
Today, when I handed him a mandarin orange, I expected him to lower his head and his eyes quickly, as usual. I was wrong. The mandarin had a magic effect. As he reached out for the fruit, an unexpected smile broke from his face.
It seemed like I might have just brought a little sunshine into his rather mundane existence. Encouraged by his response, the mandarin lady will strike again tomorrow to spread a little more festive sunshine. The bag of mandarins is still in my car waiting to do their magic. Wish me luck.
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