Be What' s Missing
Where was that cashier (收银员)? Impatient, I quickly looked at my watch. I hardly had enough time to eat a sandwich and rush back to work.
I looked around the nearly empty13 , but the cashier was nowhere in sight. A woman stood wiping (擦) the far end of the counter. She looked at me coldly with sad, dark eyes.
I 14 , getting angry. I' d been standing there for at least three minutes!
Controlling my anger, I remembered Mom' s words. " Whenever you find yourself in an unpleasant situation, just think about what is missing. If someone is unkind, then kindness is missing. If someone is hateful, then15 is missing. If we will be what' s missing, then we' ll provide whatever the situation needs. "
And here I was in an unpleasant situation. How should I" be what' s missing" ? What was missing was16 . Maybe I should just jump behind the counter and take my own order.
Just then the woman walked slowly towards me. " May I help you?" she asked, still 17 . She looked so tired. No doubt, she was overworked.
I took a deep breath. With Mom' s words ringing in my head, I gave the woman my order. . . and smiled. " How are you today?"
My question seemed to 18 her. She eyed me for a second before answering. " Not too good. "
" I' m sorry. " I said. " I hope it gets better starting right now. "
She almost smiled as she looked at me. " Thanks. I hope you' re right. "
I thought to myself as I ate my sandwich. We' re all the same, really. We have problems and angers, we get tired and we hurt. We need to be 19 to each other.
After eating, I wiped the table cleaner than usual, and put the tray (托盘) back nicely on the stand. The woman was watching me, a big smile on her face.
" Be what' s missing. " It 20 .
