The Smiling Man
When he first approached my teller window, I thought: I wonder why this man is so happy?
While working through my usual barrage of customers, there was one interaction with a Jamaican man, Dwayne, that I couldn't shake. So I thought it best to share the experience on here.
He laughed loudly at my patient frustration, as we had trouble communicating through the 3 inch thick, bulletproof glass.
"It's ok, it's my accent. Don't worry about it. I get it," he smiled.
I laughed nervously in response, and reassured him that the glass muffles everything. "2's sound like 9's, you know.... Any plans for the rest of your day?" I asked, trying to move the conversation elsewhere.
"Nah, ma'am," he replied with a smile, his head tilted upward toward a wall poster. "My brother got into a crash." he continued.
"Oh!"
He made eye contact with me, the smile never breaking. "Yeah ma'am. He got into a crash. Broke his neck (he pointed to his collarbone), his hand, his foot, his leg.... they're not sure if he broke his back."
I stared back at him in disbelief as he continued to smile. "Is that why you're sending these funds today?"
He laughed loudly. "Yes ma'am! You know, he's a mechanic, eh. So he had just fixed the guys car. They took it for a drive, and when they got back, they crashed it!" He made a t-bone gesture with his hands.
"Oh no. I'm glad he's still alive."
He smiled and nodded dramatically, "yes, yes. That's why I'm sending the money."
There was a short silence between us as I finished the transaction.
"It's weird, though," he went on "because I just had to bury my cousin."
"He died?" I asked stupidly.
"Yeah, because he got into a crash!" He hollered, hooting with laughter like it was some kind of weird joke the world must be playing on him.
I laughed with him for a moment, curious of the man on the other side of the glass. Curious of the man who laughed at death that tried to surround him.
And he was just so interesting I couldn't shake the interaction with him, so I thought I would share the experience here.