“I am sorry but what
can I do?” Lorna spread her arms in the air, looking helpless. “I have to go.
Peter cannot pick up Sylvia from the school and I have to pick her up”.
“Yes Lorna, I
understand but you had promised ... How am I ever to finish all this by myself?”
She just shook her
head and said “I am sorry but I have to go. I will make up for this after the Christmas
holidays. Merry Christmas love!”
I just sighed and
then smiled at her. “Merry Christmas Lorna! My love to Peter and Sylvia. And don’t
worry I’ll finish it off here.”
She beamed her lovely
smile at me and left.
I was staring at the
paperwork and my computer. I was supposed to leave by 3:00 but I was lucky if I
could leave the office before 4:00. Might as well get to the task at hand. I
picked up the list of the people whom a personalised message had to be sent by
the company ... and I heard Stefan’s cough.
“Why haven’t you left
Stefan?”
“Waiting for you.”
“You don’t have to.
Look, you won’t be paid overtime for just waiting.”
“No! No! I no do this
for money. I wait for you. We leave together. See I already sign my timesheet
for 3:00.”
Stefan was a cheerful
cheeky Polish immigrant who worked as an office help, though he was mostly
assigned menial tasks. He had come to London 6 months back and spoke broken English.
“Stefan! Just leave!
Go home!” I said and got back to sending e-mails. Most of them done, now to
contact the suppliers ... the clocked ticked away mercilessly ... A few more
calls to make ... And it had now started to rain. Drab London weather. It was
as if the skies always cried. No wonder many people here suffered from Seasonal
Affective Disorder...
“You want tea?”
“Stefan! I thought I
had asked you to leave!”
“Ya! You want tea?”
“Stefan! Leave right
now or else I will have you fired!”
I turned around and
got back to putting files and folders away. At 4:15, I looked around the
office. Everything done, no work left pending. I wanted to breathe a sigh of
relief but knew that far much more hectic activity awaited me beyond these
office doors. I put on my coat, took my bag and umbrella and locked the office
door. Will be back after a week of Christmas holidays. I had to renew my
travelcard, pick up medicines from the chemist, had to buy some extra gift
paper, some groceries ... he had invited his friends yet again for a pre-Xmas
dinner ... had to go home and cook ... and I had to face the rush hour commute
on the Northern Line .. and my frozen shoulder was playing up very badly. Some
holiday it was going to be with all those guests being invited over almost
everyday ... I forgot when I had any time for myself ... Giving everyone else
no chance to complain and completely neglecting myself ... I craved some time
to myself ...
“Ah! You finish!”
“Stefan! You almost
gave me a shock there! Why are you still here?” I asked as I was fidgeting with
my brolly. He took it from my hand and opened it in a snap. And then handed it
back to me.
“Er ... I want to
give you something.”
“What Stefan?”
He came close and
hugged me ... the hug of a friend. And suddenly I just started crying. Sobbing
at first but then warm tears just kept rolling off my cheeks. Stefan just
patted me as if I were a small child. “It is okay. You cry, you feel better”.
I felt slightly
lighter but foolish too. Stefan gave me his handkerchief. “You better now?”
“Yes. Thank you Stefan.
I don’t know what came over me. I was ...”
“No! No! You no
explain. I understand. I see your eyes. I know you sad.”
“I am sorry, I didn’t
get you”.
“See, when you smile
in office only lips smile. Your eyes no smile. No twinkle in eye.”
I just blinked away.
I didn’t realise I could be read so easily.
“Stefan, when I asked
you to leave so many times, and quite rudely too, why did you stay behind?”
His answer has stayed
with me even after all these years. “Ahh that! My mama tell me ‘when someone
sad ask you to go away, you never go away. That person need you most. If that
person then share his or her sadness, believe my child that the Lord himself
send you as an angel to that person. You are blessed by the Lord himself’. I do
this for myself ... and see you feel better, no?”
I smiled. I had tears
in my eyes but I smiled. The warmth of human compassion which was lost to me had
lit a candle inside me. Stefan smiled back. I hugged him and said “God bless
you!”
“Ah! Thank you. You
take care and Merry Christmas!”
“Merry Christmas Stefan!
Have a safe trip to Poland and give my love to your mama!”
We parted our ways
... He probably feeling as angelic as he was and I ... I was feeling quite
light in my heart. Yes I had troubles and responsibilities but to know that God
was looking out for me and had sent his angel – the thought cheered me up
immensely. I promised to myself that I too would try and be “an angel sent by
God” to a person in need of basic human warmth, love and compassion.
Yes,
Stefan’s answer has stayed with me even after all these years.
