I sit in
the corner of the Gathering Space. It’s quiet as everyone still sleeps at this
early hour. The only people who pass me are preparing for the new day. The
light passes through the window behind me. It gives everything a new light,
especially the workers. The lady in the store works diligently as she stacks
the shelves. She’s focused as she places each item. Perhaps she’s thinking of a
family at home or a sick parent away. I bet she would be very gentle from the
way she sets the fragile sweets in their places. She continues working and
moves to the money box. The bills move quickly in her hands as she counts out
the day’s worth. She’s clearly had practice. I take a closer look at her
features. Her face looks younger, but her eyes seem old. She must have started
working early in her life.
Footsteps
break the silence as they approach the room. Another worker comes in carrying a
small rag. He has a wide grin and walks as if dancing to unheard music. He
reaches the store and begins wiping down the glass. As he works, he waves
enthusiastically at the lady. I don’t realize I’m smiling until I feel my
cheeks ache. The man begins talking to the lady; she smiles as well. I see him in
my mind’s eye greeting people on their way to class and lifting their
spirits.
The lady begins
speaking to him, gently. Her old eyes now grow younger as she smiles at the
man. He responds, enthusiastically enough for me to hear, but I’m so absorbed
in the sight I do not register it. The lady laughs and continues speaking.
A sudden
bustle of people breaks my gaze from the two people as I realize the school has
begun to wake up. Through the crowd I see the lady gesture for the man to move.
I follow him as he joins a group of students and catch my breath. It’s the
group of needs students. I look down,
realizing that I never saw him dancing before whenever he walked away, or how
he made people smile.
I glance
back to the lady in the store, now busy attending to early customers heading to
class. Though rushed by hurried students, she still works as tenderly and
precisely as she did before.
As I pick
up my books to head to class, I realize the light through the window is
gone. However, taking one last look at
the two workers, they still hold the light they had earlier. Just like they had before I had realized
it.
You recognized the young man's humanity before you recognized his disability, Angela. That's an approach worth continuing.
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