Changing Alice

Changing Alice

Alice watched Randel, the custodian, carry Jane’s half full wastebasket away to empty.

“How do you get him to do that?”

“You’re just jealous.”

“I’ve tried everything and he usually waits until mine is overflowing.

“What is everything?”

“I ask him to empty it.”

“How?”

“Randel, will you empty my wastebasket, it’s full!”

“Well, did you ask about Jeff?”

“Jeff who?”

“Randel’s son. The one who broke his leg.”

“Randel has a son?”

“Well, yes, and, a wife and a daughter in third grade, plus two dogs.”

“How do you know all this?”

“I talk to him.”

“Well I talk to him, I’ve asked him to empty my wastebasket, that’s talking to him.”

“I meant like friendly conversation, not work to do...”

“But it’s just Randel, he just works here, it’s his job.”

“We ‘just work here’ too. Did you know Randel is about to publish a book? Did you know his wife teaches ballet?? He’s a person, an interesting person.”

“Gosh, I just never thought about it.”

“Well, maybe that’s why you don’t get your wastebasket emptied often...”

Alice took this to heart. She changed her ways. She started being nice to the custodians and all the other workers she had never thought about. One day she even felt confident enough to talk to Randel.

“How is your son doing?” she asked.

“My son? I don’t have any kids, I’m not even married!” he laughed as he walked away.

Alice turned to Jane, who was bursting trying not to laugh. “Why did you tell me that?”

“It was a lesson you needed to learn, I just thought I’d have some fun too,” she burst out laughing.

Alice did forgive her, it took several months... but she did, partly because Randel actually did finally start emptying her wastebasket.