Toiling in a Basement

    Two afternoons per week, I notice a man cleaning the floor at a senior center. He's usually by himself. The room, busy during the morning, is empty. I pass by his door while picking up my elderly mother.
    Last week, I struck up a conversation with this person. Bob (I think that's his name) is a retiree. And he's a volunteer.
    He told me the town lowers his taxes in return for cleaning two rooms. His toil is lonely. The rooms are situated in a basement. Few people walk by. Quietude prevails.
    Cleaning the floor crimps Bob's social life. His friends sometimes play golf on weekdays. He doesn't join them. Volunteering takes precedence. Instead of swinging a golf club he sweeps a broom.
    Bob said of his job, "When I commit to something, I try to stick with it."
    His attitude reminds me of a quote by Carlos Ghosn:
    'Commitment. This is my favorite word because in some way, people who are committed are always much more interesting and much more reliable, and much more, I would say, deep than people who are not.'