Closing time grew near and the two men had been chatting over an appetizer and iced tea for nearly two hours. I approached to offer a drink refill, when one of them looked up and said, “What’s your backstory? Are you a poet?”

“Why? Am I too old to be working in a place like this?” I asked.

“No, it’s just that you have a gentle energy about you. What else do you do?”

I was caught off guard, how to define myself on short notice. “I was a firefighter for several years. I’ve worked for FEMA following hurricanes. I do taxes for HR Block. The last four years, I’ve spent a majority of my time overseas, in Thailand with my Thai wife, but that’s now over and I need money to pay her off. I live to help people, so this isn’t a bad job.”

“You project a real sense of inner peace.” And my response?

“I am very happy with my life today. Thanks for your kind words.”

It’s amazing how some people pay enough attention to see.