Pak Ardi Has Passed

As the title says, Pak Ardi died today, apparently two days after banging his head in the bathroom at home. A stroke, one presumes, or blood clot or some such thing.

I miss him. God knows he didn't change much of the world, beyond the toilet roll at Aphrodite. The thing is, he always had a smile and a kind word when I went in. He never, ever, failed to ask how I was doing. And I never minded, his smile couldn't help but warm my heart every time I saw it. He was a toilet cleaner and I was a customer, but his smile contained such warmth, such joy in our shared journey through the human experience, that it was impossible to resist.

I look around this evening at the grief on the faces of the Aphro staff, and I know I was not the only one. Earlier, I walked into the bathroom behind an employee in a navy uniform, and expected to see a smile and exchange greetings. I caught myself when I realized this couldn't be Pak Ardi, and was taken aback.

I don't know anything about his personal life, and I'm sorry for that. I do know that I was wrong in the second paragraph above when I said he didn't change anything. I see the impact of his life on everyone's face tonight, and that makes me all the more sad.

Rest in Peace, Pak Ardi. You had an impact on many of us, and we were all the better for having known you.

Dean