James, Jalisa's dad

For over a year after I started working in midtown Manhattan, the first smiling face I would see on a typical day was that of James, the security guard in our building’s lobby. James had an infectious smile, the kind that made you feel glad to finally arrive at the office after a long commute. There was a slight space between his top two front teeth, and that gap made his smile seem wider across his face.

The happiest I ever saw James was when he announced he had just become a father. He explained that his daughter, Jalisa – a combination of the names of her parents, James and Lisa -- was born the night before and she was doing just fine. Our office chipped in for baby gift, and he was delighted and grateful.

James was also a beaming father one day when he surprised us by bringing Jalisa into our offices. He smiled non-stop, and Jalisa seemed just as happy to be in her dad’s arm. Although only a few months old, we could see she had inherited her father’s great smile.

James was not so happy another time when he confided that, because of a fallout with Jalisa’s mom, he had moved out of their home and not seen his daughter for several days. He was nearly as sad the last time I saw him earlier this spring, when he explained the circumstances that led to his no longer working in our building or anywhere else yet.

Near the end of our conversation, however, when I asked him how Jalisa was doing and if he was seeing her regularly, James again flashed his familiar smile.

“Oh, she’s doing just fine, thank you.”