I didn’t like the old cleaner
He’d always leave my desk in a worse state than it was before he wiped it. That’s very difficult to do, because I keep a very, very tidy desk. iMac, keyboard and mouse, all placed neatly and perfectly.
But every damn morning I’d arrive to find those three items all over the place. iMac at an odd angle, keyboard by my phone, mouse in the middle of the desk.
Moving everything back never took any time at all. It just pissed me off.
Then, a few weeks ago, we got a new cleaner. Now, this guy, he’s got a face you can trust. And, whenever he wipes my desk, he puts everything back where it was originally.
A real decent human being.
One evening I stayed late, doing a bit of writing. He was still there, cleaning the rest of the office.
At about half seven, I packed up and walked out. He’s reeling in the vacuum cleaner wire, getting ready to pack up too. As I walk past him I do the polite thing and say,
Goodnight mate
He looks up at my, smiles and replies,
Night boss
Instant friendship.
Now, every time we cross paths at the end of the day, a hello and a how are you? are exchanged. Proper friendly stuff.
Tonight, though, I stayed late again. And as I’m tidying my desk and getting ready to leave, he asks how my day was.
Eh… alright. I’ve been working, so…
Naturally, I ask him the same question
Yeah, it’s been okay.
He pauses.
I’ve been working, so…
The guy has a sense of humour, too. A real decent human being.
I like this new cleaner.
