I am not a big fan of Walmart, but once in a while, I had to go to my neighborhood Walmart to buy stuff I could not find anywhere else. Shafqat bhai is in his late 60s. He is from Pakistan and started working at Walmart after retiring from a VA job. He has been working at our local Walmart for about a decade. His job is to stay at the door, check receipts, and guide people to appropriate sections.
Yesterday, I had to go to Walmart to buy an alarm. I stopped by the door and had a brief chat with him.
"Shafqat bhai: I am amazed. It takes a lot to stand at the door every day for ten years and check receipts. It's incredibly dull and frustrating."
He put his hands around my shoulder, and as we walked, he said: "It was. In the beginning, it was extremely frustrating to stand at the door for 8 hours and check receipts. But being at home as a retiree was even more frustrating. Finally, I learned a new thing. I start saying 'Good morning' to all comers to store and 'God bless you' to all 'outgoers.' A glimpse of freshness, happiness, and a smile on customers' faces brings a special joy to my heart. I never imagined it could be so huge. Now it's ten years, and I look forward to my job every day."
I just said: "WOW," and walked to my car.
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