I cracked him, I cracked him wide open

I’ve been working for Judd for 7 months now. It seems like I’ve been here forever. It’s become a second home with awesome people and a really laid back atmosphere. I rarely get stressed and I get time off. Yeah, sometimes I have to work even if I’m puking in the bathroom, but whose boss makes them tea to help them feel better?

Ever since I started here there has been a new apartment building under constructio on our street about 3 store fronts down from us. There is a security guard that stands on the sidewalk in front of the entrance to the construction site. Same guy, everyday. He’s there til about the afternoon when another guy comes. The thing is by then there are loads of people to talk to so the afternoon guy is always enjoying himself. But morning security guard just seems bored and sad most mornings.

I started smiling at him about the second month my working path crossed his. He would mostly look down whenever he saw me coming after that. So I stopped smiling after a while. Then I would just stare him down, in a clearly non-confrontational way. Just acknowledging his presence. Smiling started up again during the summer, especially when I would go in super early for shoots. By super I mean 8am…ok not that super.

Last week he started saying good morning! He is initiating the morning smile and hello!

It makes me pretty excited to know that after 7 months of smiling, my sore cheek muscles are finally paying off!