Walking down a hallway at work, I passed by someone whom I really only know as one of the two people at work whom I've never had smile at me in the years I have been here.

Let me step aside for a moment.

I don't generally keep track of these things. I'll smile to someone I pass in the halls, I might even say hello, even if I don't have the slightest idea who they are. I even smile to people I don't particularly like, just to be polite, because I figure maybe they'll turn around someday and be nice. Certainly nothing is lost by trying.

OK, there's a lot of people from other cultures at my work. And we tend to be a busy lot. Smiling might or not could mean anything, so I certainly don't take it personally.

But after *years* you do notice a consistancy. One person has always scowled, probably to everyone, and the other just neutral.

So, when I pass by one of the two people, and they smile and say, "You have the coolest last name" you do pause.

I continued smiling, and all I could say was: "I do?"

They smiled back and said "yes" and kept walking. That was the only conversation we have ever had.

I should have said "thank you" or something but I was a) wondering how they knew my last name and b) wondering what was so cool about it. I certainly don't see it.

But, hey, a compliment's a compliment, and it was nice to see a smile. Don't know if it had anything to do with me, but it made me happy.