Daily Diary for August 25th 2005

[apunbola]

I know that I have been away for some time. I was busy with some other things but now I can find some time to come here. Its August 24th here and will be August 25th very soon, but I will write this as a diary for tomorrow.

Did I ever mention that there was this receptionist in our office building who would never smile? Yes, there was this young, dainty and pretty receptionist who greeted all visitors and employees to our office. Greeting all visitors and employees with a smile is a part of her job. She does represent the first impression a visitor has of our company. In a way, she is our brand ambassador. If our clients are welcomed with a smile, then the rest of the business with us would follow just as easily, and with a smile.

It so happened that this young woman never ever smiled at most people who walked by her. She had been a replacement for another receptionist who had a very warm personality. Initially I remember that this new miss would not miss anyone and would smile. It must have been just a week and she stopped smiling. She only smiled when some clients or important visitors came in to visit someone in the company. I never saw her smiling at me nor other employees. She barely had a smile on her face. I imagined she was smirking at us lowly employees who were not worth her smile. What an uptight woman this! Well, who cares, and I moved on without a second thought.

Later on, while thinking about it, initially I did not consider this as anything different and reasoned that she was being uptight. But then thought that there must have been something. Well, it did not even cross my mind after that to check if she was smiling till a colleague remarked during lunch that this girl had stopped smiling and was on leave on many days a week. He added that, well not in a printable language, that she had even lost her weight and her 'curves'. I just nodded and thought about it. Maybe there was some loss in the family, maybe someone dear passed away, or maybe some illness struck. I did decide on a nickname for her though - Miss Frowny. I did share this with my colleague and he too started referring to her as Frowny.

I usually walk past the lobby and the receptionist dreading to start another day at work and hence dont pay attention, but the last conversation on this topic with my colleague made me decide to notice if she really smiled. Lo and behold, she did not smile even as I made an attempt to wave at her. The next day I noticed that she had cut her hair shorter. Maybe she had changed her hair style and I noticed it just that day.

Days went by and suddenly one morning I was greeted with a cheerful Good Morning. I looked up, expecting the familiar face but it was someone else. Our non smiling receptionist was not to be seen. Instead a new and smiling receptionist had greeted me. I thought to myself - good riddance to unsmiling ... not very charitable thoughts but nevertheless, I am weak and full of faults, so I did have a feeling of devilish glee that someone new will now welcome all of us who pass this lobby. Who needs someone who cannot smile? And hey, this new receptionist was cuter. My colleague would be happy to 'describe' her. Dirty rotten scoundrel that he is!

Days went by and I did not bother to ask the new receptioniost, what happened to our Miss Frowny.

Last week, I happened to visit my doctor's office for some small ailment. Its sort of a mini hospital where many doctors practise all sorts of medical disciplines. I finished my visit and was walking down to the exit when I happened to see a familiar face. Yes, it was Miss Frowny, albeit a lot thinner and with lot closer crew hair cut, almost like that of a Marine.

I stopped briefly and she happened to look at me. A smile crossed her face and I was surprised. I looked up at the board above the waiting room and was in for a shock. I ventured in and moved towards her. I noticed that our Miss Frowny was pale and looked like she had lost a lot of weight. She was already frail and now looked very weak and frail. God, what happened to our Miss Frowny?

She said in a weak voice that she thought she recognised me. I said yes, you were our receptionist. She smiled again and said that she remembered me now. I thought to myself - Is she serious or just saying something pleasant.

I looked at her and asked her what was wrong with her. Why had she left her position. She said something which I could never forget and which made me feel so hollow and shallow for having thought of her as Miss Frowny, the girl who never knew how to smile. The uptight girl who thought better of herself than all of us.

She said that she had been detected with cancer and was in the clinic for treatment. The doctors had given her a 50-50 chance of making it. She then added - I know the talk behind my back that I never smiled at any of you. I am sorry for that, but the injections made me very weak and I tried to conserve my energy and smile for the important clients. I did not want the company to represent a unwelcome image to our clients.

I shook her frail hands and wished her a speedy recovery. She smiled again. Her eyes lit up. I comforted her that we never felt offended that she did not smile and she should not think of such things. I did not know what more to say. It was an uneasy moment and the nurse called for Miss Frowny. Uh uh, I should not use that name, it was so wrong.

God smiles on all of us but forgets to smile at some. Some who try their best, even when at the door of death to smile and welcome a stranger and yet God behaves like Mister Frowny with such folks? I could not fathom this. I just moved out of the place and reached my office.

As I received a smiling welcome from our new brand ambassador, I could see the smile of Miss Frowny instead. I will always remember our old Miss Smiley in the very few smiles that she spread around. May God save her and bring her back to smiles so that she may smile more with all of us.

[echarcha]

Welcome back Hope all is well.

[apunbola]

Originally Posted by echarcha

Welcome back Hope all is well.

Everything is fine as it can be. I had to prioritise my priorities and hence the absence.

[Sane Less]

hey apun bai, this brought tears to my eyes.

Coincidentally, the receptionist in my office is also undergoing treatment for cancer. She is always smiling and greets everyone nicely, though she has a voice that makes the hair on my neck stand up (especially when she speaks over the intercom). She is frequently on vacation, sometimes for days on end and I wonder whether she is undergoing treatment during those days.

I have seen people undergoing treatment for cancer, both here and in India and only hope that they come up with some vaccine or something for it soon . It seems the treatment itself is worse than the disease.

I knew a guy back in Bombay who had newly moved into our building. He had cancer and was undergoing treatment, which had made him very weak. He could not even walk straight and at times used to falter. We used to play volleyball and he used to come and watch us. Many a time he would ask us to let him play too and that always made my heart drop down a couple of inches.

[echarcha]

Originally Posted by Sane Less

hey apun bai, this brought tears to my eyes.

Coincidentally, the receptionist in my office is also undergoing treatment for cancer. She is always smiling and greets everyone nicely, though she has a voice that makes the hair on my neck stand up (especially when she speaks over the intercom). She is frequently on vacation, sometimes for days on end and I wonder whether she is undergoing treatment during those days.

I have seen people undergoing treatment for cancer, both here and in India and only hope that they come up with some vaccine or something for it soon . It seems the treatment itself is worse than the disease.

I knew a guy back in Bombay who had newly moved into our building. He had cancer and was undergoing treatment, which had made him very weak. He could not even walk straight and at times used to falter. We used to play volleyball and he used to come and watch us. Many a time he would ask us to let him play too and that always made my heart drop down a couple of inches.

Arey yaar, this apunbola writes well but its always about something sad.

[Sane Less]

Originally Posted by echarcha

Arey yaar, this apunbola writes well but its always about something sad.

Sadness is an emotion that should be appreciated as much as happiness, my 2 cents. I love Mukesh at his sentimental best though I am not a sad person at all. My friends are usually flabbergasted.

[echarcha]

Nothing much to report on my side. However, I continued my plan and went to the east side restroom on 3rd floor

[echarcha]

Originally Posted by echarcha

Nothing much to report on my side. However, I continued my plan and went to the east side restroom on 3rd floor

On Friday I did it on west side on 2nd floor. Today I continued and did it on east side of 2nd floor