THE GUY AT THE TOLL
To ma Andree, my little sunshine

Many mornings I chose his line just to be greeted by him. I remember the first time I was in his line, I was crying and he said to me, “Hi sunshine!” without realizing how bad I was, but with that simple gesture, sunshine was returned to my heart. At least for the moment, but oh how sweet and healing it was.
Someone in a very regular afternoon has wanted to be extraordinary within the very ordinary and common work he had
He is old, black, his hair is almost white, but theres something naughty and playful in his eyes that makes you want to stay a little longer around him
In these three years I have seen him enough to let him recognize me every time I stop to pay and get the change back. He spoils me with his greetings, when I need to exchange 10 dollar bills for quarter rolls he just gave them to me with a wink, so different form the bitter younger women who also work there.
Many times I choose the slowest line in order to greet him and learn more about attitude
You see. This cold must be bad for his bones; his job might be seen as extremely boring, besides diminishing maybe by some. How many people would really stop and see his beauty? His salary? dreadful. Will he be hungry, sad, filled with worries? Yet he always has a smile for me.
I though I was special until my oldest daughter said something about him, and I found that he was probably like that with everybody who would cared enough to stop and really see; who would still know that life is a little bit more than running to get there on time, but to get where. Do we really stop to realize where are we heading to?
“What’s up you little rascal? What have you been up to? “ He exclaims as soon as he recognizes me. And then he knocks at my close fist already prepare and eagerly waiting for his greeting as if we were long time pals. And in some senses we are; at least at that instant. Nothing is different or unequal between him and me, we are just two individuals recognizing the other and giving the other a ray of sunshine in a smile.. .to keep on
Some times people that are traveling with me ask me why is that I haven’t order the chip to just drive through and not stop at the toll. I told them that I always forget to do it but I guess that besides the fact that as soon as I get to the office there are so many things that I just simply forget it theres a little more than that.
To gain a couple of minutes in the never ending run to nowhere cannot be compared to get a full smile filled with attitude. He is my little champion and today with this simple story I stop in my line for living to salute him and bless him for what he has shown me.