Although I have a few favourite people at work who I occasionally mention here, I don’t often mark people moving on to other things. However, I’m making an exception this time for a very special person so I can mark my memories before they fade.
When I look at a person, I tend to look behind the surface to pick up what you could call their “aura”. It’s to do with their general attitude, demeanour, how they move and most importantly, how they treat other people. The respect I’ll give a person increases if I detect intelligence, curiosity and above all else, empathy and compassion. If a person answers a grin with a smile or grin, then that makes it feel as if they’re alive.
If I get the sense that someone really believes “people love me because I look great”, then I tend to think of them as just a bit shallow, with a corresponding reduction in how interested I am in knowing them. They may have worked hard to get their figure but that just points me towards thinking that they’re interested only in self, not in others. And one of my key characteristics is that I help other people out before dealing with my own problems. There’s also the idea that flaws make people interesting, when you eliminate all of the flaws what is left that is distinctive about yourself ? Better to be comfortable with the person you are than fashion yourself into someone you’re not.
Anyway, who is this person who is moving on ?
She’s not been with us for that long, coming in to shadow one of our contractor people. That means doing decent work while attempting to learn as much as possible in the time available by keeping an eye on how other people go about their business. And this young lady appears to be a very curious person, eyes always bright with trying to collect in as much information as possible.
I tend to be very jumpy, with that combining with excellent peripheral vision to get me looking around if I detect movement. And quite often, those skittish eyes of mine would spot a very pretty pair of eyes popping up above the little wall/fences that separate desks in our open plan office. This lady’s desk was at least 30 metres from mine though, so I don’t think it counts as an “Eyes meet across the room” thing !
I always notice how people move too. Even the best looking person can let themselves down if they have unattractive body language. A bouncy, relaxed step is far easier on the eye than the Clomp-Clomp-Clomp or shuffle favoured by a few people I know. Gait and poise signal a lot about how people feel about themselves, whether it is showing confidence or comfort. And Miss AB’s step gives a glimpse of both being very comfortable in who she is, plus confidence. There’s also a ready smile too as she attempts to divine what’s occurring behind the eyes of the person dazzled by the angel before him.
I’ve had the good fortune to get the excuse to talk to this particular angel and been the disbelieving beneficiary of a couple of quiet “Hello Pete”‘s too. I don’t have the greatest self confidence, so I have trouble believing it when I hear people saying things that mean they’re taking an interest. And for a person who needs to know that other people are interested in what he does or says, those moments when someone says hello with a quiet word or a wave count for a lot. Acting amused at the jokes helps too 🙂
Taking the time on the way out of the door to draw my attention with a gentle hand to my arm to let me know that she was moving to a different project is something I’ll remember for quite a long time.
What I will also hopefully remember is what Miss AB looks like, as the curiosity, empathy and intelligence I’ve mentioned above is wrapped up in a package that would not be out of place if her portrait were placed with those from one of those glamourous parties that inevitably end up in magazines like Hello. Except a frozen portrait never really does justice to grace and elegance of movement.
And what would that portrait look like ? About my height (5 foot 9 ish!), bright inquisitive eyes in an always smiling face framed by a cloud of auburn hair. Style never in question, a youthful figure framed by outfits that match the elegance, most definitely catching the eye. I think my (partially) photographic memory is already burning in two images, firstly the pair of eyes peering above the parapet to see what’s going on and secondly the smile that would accompany the “Hello Pete”
I’ll definitely miss this special person, although the two images above will hopefully mean I don’t miss the chance to return those treasured “Hello Pete’s” with a “Hello AB :-)” if I happen to be in the vicinity again 🙂
PS I was kinda angling this post to have a little poetry in it ! But that seems to have kinda … not happened 🙂 Think my prose style is a little too long winded to “do poetry” …
PS2 This lady was previously known by a couple of different names here, I thought the Bright Young Thing one was particularly apt 🙂 BYT being something about 1920s fashion from my History GCSE that popped into my mind at an opportune moment. Not sure if the 1920s link is appropriate but Bright and Young definitely are !
PS3 This post defines why I blog – it allows me to actually say things I don’t have the confidence to in person !