Bright Lady

My favorite type of Eyring Encounter are what I like to call "cute-old-man" encounters. These are by no means creepy incidents, quite the opposite actually. Often, and for some reason, usually when I am cleaning entry windows, old men will cross my path and compliment my work. (Keep in mind folks that all I'm doing is squirting glass-cleaner onto smudged windows and wiping my a rag in an up-and-down-like motion.) But this is my theory: these sweet old gentlemen were raised in a much more polite society. Saying 'hello' to a perfect stranger was standard procedure. Complementing their work, nothing out of the ordinary. Paying adorable compliments to poor college students, their absolute delight. I have had many such encounters; Carl from Carpentry called me the "prettiest custodian in all of campus", Professor Johnston tells me that he appreciated my happiness, but my favorite, well I don't even know his name.

I was doing my daily washing of the south entrance doors (which frankly are by far the dirtiest of all ESC windows), squatting at the lower windows and this kind old gentleman walked up and this is the rapid-fire conversation that followed:

Gentleman: You are doing a great job!

Me: Oh, why thank you. I appreciate it.

Gent: What's your name?

Me: Kobie

Gent: How many years do you have left?

Me: roughly 2, we'll see.

Gent: Where are you from?

Me: Arizona

Gent: What are your future plans?

Me: I would like to go to law school?

Gent: Oh really? Where at?

Me: I'm not really sure yet. I'll definitely apply here at BYU, Arizona State, back East somewhere.

Gent: Well thank you for making this world a brighter place Kobie. Not only because you clean these windows so well and actually make this place brighter, but because you yourself are a bright person. You brighten this world. You are a bright lady.

It was the most touching Encounter I have had yet. I wish we could all be like this, and see the brightness in others, even if they are just simple, lowly custodians. It made a huge impact on my life.