Ships Passing In The Day

A true story of positive human connection

Author

Some human interactions simply make me smile. They are clear, pleasant, heartfelt, and authentic.

This morning, as I was getting on the elevator in my building after bringing recyclables down to the recyclable room, I encountered a young man waiting at the elevator. He wore a big smile.

He was in his twenties, tall with wavy hair and an ethnic face. He might have been Italian, North African, or Arab. Normally, I would ask where he was from…, but he did have an unfamiliar accent.

Unfortunately, these days, you never know what’s inappropriate and what isn’t, so I passed on asking him where he was from.

Smiling, he asked me, “Are you new in the building?”. It seemed like an unusual question, but I responded, “No, I’ve been here for a couple of years.” Now, it seemed natural to ask the same question of him. “Are you new in the building?” A big smile came across his face. “Yes!”

Obviously, his question was a setup to begin a conversation, something that would make him feel less alone. “It’s a great building, isn’t it?”

“Yup!” I replied. “I love the steam room.

“There’s a steam room here?” He lit up again.