"concentrated charm of the east"

that's what TJ (name changed) said to the coffe girls this morning. he himself was a cupful of charm. :) it even seemed that he thought about it as he made his way to the line to buy coffee and back to us, to stop at our table and to smile and to say ... "at this table is the concentrated charm of the east" (we were all filipinos who sometimes would fill the little cafeteria with our boisterous laughter to the delight of some and the horror of many ... or so i think) ... there's nothing like word play that would make me smile. of course ... he's almost a septuagenerian so don't be getting any ideas!

i like him because he takes time to appreciate life. i can see it in his face. he has a lovely smile and the look of one who has lived his life to the full. it is unmistaken too that he was a handsome young man because he still looks like a handsom old man. hehe. he approached me once to introduce himself. and i likewise. he asked what made me smile a lot ... i said because life is a blessing. he said "that's a good way of looking at it". i look forward to seeing him just because he smiles as often as me. he's not like the other people in my workplace who look down to avoid greeting one another. maybe they're just shy ... but still i can't help feeling hurt when it's so noticeable. i respect them ... so let them be. :)

going back to TJ, he seemed surprised that i was taking a sandwich at tea time in the afternoon. he asked "are you just eating lunch?" i said "this is a snack". he said, "how do you stay so slim?" he answered his own question, "it must be all that smiling." i told him, "that's something i wouldn't mind expending energy on". he smiled back and said "more people should put their energy in that too".

i'd like to be like him when i get older. he seems to be full of wisdom and i want to pick his brain sometimes. but i hope that he wouldn't get the wrong idea. because i've had "older" men trying to be friends with me but it just felt uncomfortable.

for now, i will enjoy his charm and what he said to us ... we the concentrated charm of the east of the office. :)