Monday, January 26, 2004

Hi Hi Bye Bye

There is this lady who works with me in this company, but I don't know which department or desk she is attached to. In fact, I don't even know her name.

But she smiles a lot. And she is a character one can easily recall simply because of her smile - it's sincere, it's given first, and it's always given back should you be the one to smile at her first.

I remember when I first started to work with the company, she was among the first to greet me with her smile. No "Hello, I'm [insert a Malay woman's name here], nice to meet you.", but just that smile made me feel all welcomed, and that this old company - though famous as the feeding area for makan-budak senior staff - isn't so bad at all.

After that, each time I bumped into her, she'll flash me that same smile. Sometimes I get to beat her at it - I get to smile at her first! And of course, get a return smile from her.

And today, almost three years after that first smile, we bumped into each other again. This time around, she came to me and held both hands towards me. I caught her salam and she began telling me - in a manner as if we have been on talking terms instead of just-smiling terms - that she's retiring this Friday.

I was caught off-guard. I asked her if there is such thing as an optional retirement in the company (ala government), but she said she's turning 55 soon, and she's glad that it's time to go.

I told her she didn't look nearing 55 at all! She replied that I was not the first one to say that to her.

Me: It must be cause you smile a lot!

She: (LOL) Probably..?

Me: Sure it is, I remember you were among the first to smile at me during my early days here.

She: Really?

Me: So thanks for that.

She: Well, you are most welcomed. It's not that hard to smile, but it's not that easy to become memorable simply cause you do.

And I finally found out her name: Hamsiah.

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