Invisibles

David left his office in the direction of the elevators. A long day’s work was ending for him. With his head already on the dinner he had that night, he quickly crossed the hall, the reception, reached the lobby and pressed the call button.

He entered the elevator with such energy that he nearly ran over an older man inside.

“Excuse me, I hadn’t seen it.”

The man, without a trace of acrimony or censure in his tone, replied:

“Not me, not a few others today, I’m afraid.”

David looked at him in surprise. What was that comment about? He didn’t know how to take it. They descended in complete silence: David looking at the ground and the man looking at David with a tender smile on his face.

David could not get the comment out of his head because, beyond the specific fact, it connected him directly with some problems he had been having lately with his people. The elevator reached the ground floor and the doors opened.

David gave way to the man and when they went to the outer door of the building, in an impulse that he did not know how to explain very well, he said:

“Have you got ten minutes for a beer?”

“Yes, delighted.” My name is Max.

-I am David.

They went into a bar. David asked for two reeds.

“Max, I could tell you that I was surprised by the comment, but in fact it was more than that: it made me uncomfortable.” What did you want to tell me?

“I think I wanted to tell you literally what I said: that today there have been a lot of people who, like me, you haven’t seen at first.”

“What people are you talking about?”

—Of some of the people he has come across leaving his office, the receptionist, the man who repaired the light on the floor where the elevator was waiting …

David was thoughtful. What Max was telling him was totally true. In fact, he could not have compiled that list because, indeed, he had not seen those people.

And the most important thing was that this finding came to him after several accusations from people very close to him that it seemed that “they did not exist for him.” He immediately asked:

—Max, I haven’t seen those people and my surroundings complain that I do the same with them. What sense does all this make to you?

“See, David.” All of us without exception have around us a good number of invisible people. People to whom we do not pay attention, who go unnoticed and, therefore, it is as if they do not exist. We all have our particular list in which there may be family members, acquaintances, neighbors, co-workers or people we come across on a daily basis.

“And why is this happening to us?”

—There may be many reasons: the rush, that we walk with our heads elsewhere … and we are not helped by cell phones or gadgets to which we are permanently connected. It is as if we erase them from our visual field. With the consequences that this has for them …

-What are they…?

“Well, they feel what you have described: that they don’t exist for us.” And this is very hard.

David reflected on what his companion told him. This one gave him a challenge:

—Think for a moment today: how many unseen have you come across?

Did the exercise. He found himself opening the front door in a hurry in the morning. He was short of time. He remembered going down the stairs and coming across a neighbor who was taking the dog for a walk. When he reached the ground floor, he had gone on pure autopilot out onto the street. He had not seen the doorman, who must have been at the entrance of the estate. He had passed the kiosk answering emails on his mobile … He gave up on continuing.

“I’m afraid I have many unseen people around me.” How do I start narrowing down that damn list?

“Eyes widening.” Having the head here and now. And sharing a basic communication of cordiality that we would never have to skip. Good morning, see you tomorrow, simple formulas that simply make others realize that we have noticed them and that they are well present for us.

It’s not about having great conversations, a simple glance is sometimes enough

“Is this recommendation valid for everyone?”

—Yes, and it will be good to adapt it to the level of complicity in each case.

-What does that mean exactly?

—Well, with the closest people we can go further; a comment that makes sense to both of you will be more effective …

“What about the weather?” I don’t exactly have enough …

“You won’t be lacking because of this little communication, I assure you.” It is nothing more than having the sensitivity not to ignore others. Time, in this case, is an excuse.

David agreed. If he shielded himself from lack of time, he would be being disingenuous with himself. It was clear to him, he had to change his routine. Open your eyes to your environment and do not leave small communication aside.

Her surroundings claimed her, and the idea of ​​making them invisible horrified her now that she understood the term. He had experienced, as probably everyone, the sensation of having been invisible to someone … and he had not liked it.

He paid for the beers and they left the bar. David asked a question:

“By the way, how did you know about everyone I’ve made invisible when I got off work?” Was he following me?

He turned to hear Max’s response, but Max had disappeared.

He found himself without company … and with the amused look of a passerby who had caught him talking to himself.