During my second month of nursing school, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a
conscientious student and had breezed through the questions, until I read the last one:
'What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?" Surely this was some
kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and
in her 50s, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question
blank. Before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our
quiz grade. Absolutely, said the professor. "In your careers you will meet many
people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is
smile and say hello". I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was
Dorothy.
