Seven Smiles

Good Deeds

I work at a place, let’s call it “Better Buy”, that allows me to work one on one with people to either help discover or further their needs for comfort, leisure, entertainment, work, and creativity. The opportunity almost always presents itself for others to prove that good deeds don’t have to be such an oddity and rarity- yet so little do I get the chance to say that I’ve witnessed it happen. Which is why I think telling this story might be something constructive, if not just enjoyable to the eyes and heart.

It was a random day in a special holiday-celebrating month, with lots of red and green floating around, and I had the pleasure of speaking with a man named Jacob. He was older, short black hair still darkening his head, and a pair of see-through plastic glasses at his nose. My vanity thought “I want to be this attractive when I reach the age.”

“Hello!”

He said in the way customers do like they hate to inconvenience but know no other way to get attention than to just say hi.

“Yes, what can I help you with?”

My won customer service voice is prominent and I always feel like they know it’s a front.

“Are you free? Do you have time?”

Everyone says this. Nobody wants to be the one that says “Put down what you’re doing and come help me.” It’s adorable.

“Absolutely, what are we up to?”

I throw in a little extra flair to my voice so that he knows I’m interested in whatever he wants to do. Even standing closer, within the bounds of the safety protocols currently affecting our area.

I watch him now, as he nods to me given fresh permission, he reaches into his jacket pocket on his left breast. A tiny piece of quartered white paper rustles in his hands and he unravels it to show me a list.

Several computers, numerous monitors, a few laptops, and some tablets for good measure.

A lot of technology for one guy.

“Oh! Quite the list!”

Even reading this, I’m sure you could hear my slight annoyance with how much work this one interaction turned into.

“Yeah-hah.”

He nervously answers, his laugh and response all in one breath.

“Ahh, don’t tell my wife I have this.”

Again he nervously chuckles through this, as if I’m going to somehow manifest his wife in front of him now.

“Oh? Some surprise shopping then? We can make sure the receipts are sent to a personal e-mail so that she doesn’t see anything’s been bought and paid for yet.”

I give him the information that I give to all customers, assuming that for the holidays a surprise gift is what most customers are coming into the store for.

“That’s helpful, but no this isn’t exactly for her.”

He takes off his glasses to defog them with a wipe he has, adjusting them back onto his nose bridge and then looking at the look I’m giving him.

I’m a little confused, and I’m usually better at hiding what I’m thinking from people.

In my head, I’m questioning him about what it’s all for. I want to ask, but to be completely honest, I’m also a cynic and just want to go on a break I’ve been due for about 20 minutes at this point.

“What is the list for, and why can’t your wife know?”

The things I don’t say.

“Oh, well, alrighty then.”

I stifle my attitude and my question and take the man on a walk. We troll through our store, finding a few tablets and PC towers that fit his descriptions- Things that even children could use for their first time. Easy to setup. Things only add to my curious nature around this guy and his purchase today.

He told me half of a story on our walk- the store is big and the items are far from the next, so we had time.

“My wife, she runs this sort of outreach program. It’s not really an outreach, I guess she just gathered these kids from the schools and lets them come to our place for a bit.”

And we found another item as soon as he finished his sentence, so I moved on to talk about the features and how they sync up with the list he’s got.

“Sounds awesome, I’ve attended a few things like that myself.”

I answer in kind, letting him know that I’m listening.

And then I turn around to see that he’s stopped an aisle back.

“Oh, just around here we’ll find that other monitor we saw.”

I try to lead him further.

He’s just stopped in the aisle and looking at his own feet.

We’re not trained or anything to recognize when we should offer further help, I just feel awkward enough that I feel the need to ask,

“Can I get you a chair, or maybe a bottle of water? Are you alright, sir?”

This seems to take him out of his focus, and he looks at me with a chuckle.

“Aheh, I’m sorry, sir. I just got lost in thought for a moment.”

“Perfectly fine sir.”

I clasp my hands together, just standing in front of him now.

“Uhm, my wife she-”

He stops again.

I’m a cynic. I’m quick to be annoyed by people. It’s not good, it’s just how I am.

“Your wife what.”

I let my tone bite a little.

“She told me she wanted this, to get these kids the tablets and tech, but when we sat down to do the math…”

He quiets, not wanting to speak too loudly about his own financial problems, as we are still standing in the middle of a big box store with customers aplenty.

“Oh.”

I don’t know how to respond.

Sure my job is to sell, but I neve intend to make people pay more for something they shouldn’t have to.

“I’m sorry.”

He meets my eyes now, sincere.

“What? For what?”

I drop all my work pretenses, no sirs or ma’ams, this guy just feels honest.

“I dragged you around, made you carry all of the items- I feel bad, and now I’m just standing here…“

He pivots a step, I didn’t notice at the time but I can confirm now that his foot is pointed towards the door. Feet are funny that way.

“Haha, uh, no, don’t feel bad.”

I put his items down on a nearby table display and rest my hand on top of them, making sure they don’t leave my side- work responsible.

“I’ll be honest with you.”

I shake my hand by my side, loosening up a bit.

He stands upright, meeting my eyes again.

“I’m hungry, I’m tired, and I’m a little annoyed, yes- it’s my job.”

I feel like a dick, but it’s my truth. I can see his head turn a little, either in confusion or maybe he was impressed. Who knows.

“But I can tell you that the best part of my job is when I can help a person with whatever they’re doing. Kids want the newest Gaming PC, men and women come for cameras, tv’s, etc. it’s my job to help them, it’s what I choose to do in enjoying it that makes it worthwhile.”

I let the air hang a bit, having to take a breath.

He continues to listen, nodding along. Then he realizes I’ve finished and breaths in himself.

“So you were saying about the monitors?

He pivots again, pointing himself towards the wall of computer monitors, all displaying the same signal in tandem.

I’m smart enough not to prod or anything, only continue selling to the kind man.

At the end of our transaction, he smiled widely.

I don’t know if he’s in financial trouble today or if it really did screw him and his wife over for a little bit, but that smile at the end of his purchasing everything told me it was fine whatever happened.

It’s cheesy and pointed, but I always think about those 7 or 8 kid’s smiles equalling up to his one enormous smile.