Just Three Seconds

Quite recently, the story of a lady who was miraculously saved, passed through my fading memory. The story was about an old lady who owned a general store and gas station. Even though the gas station was slightly away from the city, she could make a good fortune. Where all its’ previous owners lost, she won. One day, the store staff closed the front doors and left. As usual, she checked and closed the daybook, counted the bills and left the counter. Before leaving the store through the back door, she got into the cooler room - just to see all soft drinks racks are properly filled and have enough stock. It was then that she heard a ‘clink’ sound from behind – the cooler room door got closed. She neither had the key nor the mobile and it was impossible for anyone to open that heavy door from inside. Minutes rolled on and nothing happened. She yelled aloud but nobody heard her. She was sure to die in it and it was then that she saw a man opening the door from outside, and peeping his head into it. She was saved. 

You will be surprised to hear why a man came into this store at so critical a time. This is another story. This grocery was adjacent to a bread shop run by an old Spanish man, to whom she used to give a very special Good morning and a Good night every day. She did not simply wave her hands and go, just as others do. She used to look into his eyes quite affectionately as if a daughter looks at her father and trying to say something and then give a wide smile along with a ‘Hey, how are you?’ Same was her Good night in the evening too. And that day, the old man did not see her even after 15 minutes of her usual leaving time. He looked out. Her car was there and the store was closed. The old man could not resist going into the store to verify what happened. He called her from out side, but nobody answered. He entered the store through the back door and checked all the store….. nobody was there.

 

He grew curious and decided to check the cooler room too. That was what exactly happened. The old man said, “You are special! It is your special smile that could fetch a good business for you and also save you from death.”

“Thank you Dad,” she said, with the same brand smile on her shivering lips. She continued,

“I knew that just three seconds with anyone could make a difference. No one has ever left this store without my special three seconds. In the first second I will look into my customer’s eyes; in the next second I will tell him that you are dear to me and my business; in the third second I give a very pretty smile of thanks for being into my life.”  

Joseph Mattappally