This past week I had an interesting experience at work.
I would like to clarify that I have a retail job outside of working at The Xavierite and that this particular occurrence happened at that job and not in the press office.
While I have many interesting musings about working at The Xavierite, this story takes place at the other job.
Anyway, I was working at my retail job and a customer asked for my assistance.
She was exceptionally friendly and very easy to converse with.
At a point in our conversation, she stuck out a hand for me to shake and introduced herself. I shook her hand and said, “My name is Brian.”
This news seemed of particular interest to her.
She looked at me and said, “God always sends me an angel named Brian.”
Then, she asked if she could have a “Brian hug,” because Brian’s give really good hugs.
(NOTE: this is true. I do give really good hugs.)
As forward and as unorthodox as this was, I obliged.
Now, at this point in the story I was thinking three things at the same time.
The first notion that came into my head was, “As flattering as that is, my job’s not that important. I’m not a fireman who saves lives or a policeman who saves lives. I’m just a cashier who occasionally proves useful by knowing where a particular item is located and by being tall enough to reach high-up shelves.”
The second notion that I had was, “That hug was just a ruse to pick my pockets.”
After the hug ended, I checked my pockets; nothing had been taken.
The third, and I must say foolish, notion was, “Is she trying to hit on me in some way…?”
I don’t know. I’m not very good at reading people.
However, the answer to my wonders was that she was trying to neither of these.
Instead, she told me a very sad story of how her fiancé was also a man named Brian who passed away two years ago.
So, by the woman’s logic, whenever she meets a man named Brian, it’s God’s way of saying hello or sending comfort or however you want to say it.
On that particular day, I was also wearing my St. Xavier University hoodie with the word “Cougars” written across the front.
She also remarked that her Brian used to call her a cougar as she was a few years older than him.
I thought that was kind of cute and coincidental.
My faith is not always standing on bedrock of stability and I’m still a little puzzled about this interaction.
I guess my overall assessment is that this was generally a cute interaction and I am always glad to be of help to anybody in any way that I can.
(Unless of course helping someone means that I cover up a murder or a larger conspiracy – I’m not into that.)
I guess we should all try to be as helpful and as friendly as we can.
It may not be God’s work through human interaction, but it’s a decent thing to do and can make a person’s day. That day I got to be someone’s angel.
I’m sure there are some people who would disagree with that assessment of my character, but I was glad to be helpful in whatever capacity I could be.
I hope that we can all embrace a spirit of trying to lift someone’s day, if for the only fact that it’s a simple thing to do and sometimes doesn’t take much effort other than saying that your name is Brian (or whatever your name is) and giving someone a hug if they really need it.
Regardless of what deity or lack thereof you may believe in, being an angel doesn necessarily have to mean that you’re sent from God.
Sometimes it just means that you’re the right person at the right place in the right time doing the right thing.
That can be a blessing in and of itself on occasion.
And with that, enjoy the rest of the week.
Brian Laughran
Editor-in-Chief