improv is good for you

Dec. 20, 2007
Carlos and Alejandro work in the 12th floor cafe at The Wall Street Journal. Since 2005, Journal staffers have passed the hat at Christmas on their behalf, and each year that hat has become more full than the year before. On the last Thursday before the holiday, reporter Barbara Martinez sends an e-mail telling everyone to meet at the cafe where we converge to present them with a big, fat envelope. The first year we did this, Carlos was so surprised he got misty-eyed. This year, I sent my photos via mass e-mail to the entire Journal staff with this note:

I told Alejandro and Carlos today that I would be sending these photos around via email. “Wanna say something so I can put it in the email?” I asked Carlos. He agreed and said: “Thank you, everyone, for the wonderful gift. I was so very surprised and grateful to receive it. Yesterday they said that Alejandro and I are always cheerful and in a good mood. Well, it’s because everyone here is so nice to us. And everyone here is ‘good people.’ So that’s why everything I say and do comes from the heart.” I asked Alejandro, “How about you? Wanna say something?” Alejandro, smiling, took a moment and said, “Yeah, the same.” Happy Holidays!

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