FedEx man

There are those moments when a completely unrelated and unexpected person makes your day in the most unassuming way. I am not quite where my faith in humanity is shaken and all but let's just say it could do better. The guy I'm alluding to in the previous sentence restored it effortlessly.

I must have been the perfect candidate for the mail-centre guy to practice his marketing skills on; when I walked in with the UPS package he promptly informed me that the UPS pickup for the day was done. I had made peace with the fact that my package would ship tomorrow morning but..but he enticed me with the fedex offer, which he said would mean my package would reach the destination the next day morning. The cost of doing so did not seem outrageous and I had a slight pinch of a thrill that my package would reach early which in-turn meant that the purpose of sending it would also be expedited by that much. So without much thought I consented.The paperwork was done, I was arranging the contents of the package when the FedEx man had come by and was patiently waiting. I only looked up for a brief second, flashed a quick and possibly incomplete smile at that man and went back to arranging the contents.

The mail-center guy hurried me, appropriately so, and dutifully informed me that the FedEx man was only waiting on my package, lest his job was done at this center. I looked up again and begged him for "2 minutes". I don't know how the magic number was arrived at as we all know it's never really just "2 minutes". I am sure he knew that too. The kind-face simply smiled and told me to take my time and that he was fine waiting on me. Now the best I could do do deserve that kindness was hurry up and so I did. The package was sealed, passed to the FedEx man, I thanked him in the most Indian way with a 'vanakkam' (I guess unbeknownst to me I do that  to reinforce the genuineness of my gratitude), he nodded with a smile and re-instated that it was not a problem.

As I was paying for the shipping, the mail-center guy handed me an 'important document', to my shock and complete shame I realized that it was the most central part of my package. I ran outside in a frenzy and noticed the FedEx van turn around the complex and drive away. My anger was split in focus- between me and the mail-center guy. well, I thought, if he hadn't rushed me, I would not have blundered. I almost told him the same thing too. He had the kindness to not retaliate but had the smarts to clue me in on where the van would stop next. Luckily it was not too far away. I followed his directions and surely enough I found a FedEx van parked in the spot that fit the description. The driver had gone inside the building to pick up more packages. I waited hoping that it was the same guy and van, that he would not get annoyed at my blunder, that he would let me alter the package, that it was possible process-wise to intercept a package and add 'contents'- so much had to line up. After 15 minutes- what seemed like hours to me,  I saw the shipping cart inside the building wheeling towards the door. There he was the same kind face- with a smile and surprise that I had chased him down. He inquired about why I was there and when I told him that I kind of missed the central element of my parcel, he assured me that it was no issue to get it fixed. He found my package, handed me a brand new envelope to transfer all the contents to, printed a new label and finally there it was a new package, all neat and pretty holding all its rightful contents. While I apologized over and over again, he consoled me that this happened all the time and it was not an issue at all. He said he was glad I could find him  and I repeated after him, but I couldn't imagine more kindness than I was met with. One of those moments when so much gratitude fills you and  your expression fails you. 

I drove away thinking, sometimes the most unassuming people leave a remarkable impression on you, this guy picks up packages for a living, no one fusses around him, no lime-light, no recognition, much less acknowledgement, but is rife with kindness and good nature.  He is the kind of person everyone wants to meet in every walk of life. 

Thank you FedEx man for teaching me a lesson or two on a busy Thursday.