God's Dakota

I was on a smoke break, texting but not in a mood for socializing. A young man walks up

and leans against a pole about ten feet from me. I nodded in his direction and continued

texting. I glance over at him a few times and he's just staring in the direction of the street,

deep in thought. Now comes the awkward moment, I put my cigarette out and have to pass

him. I have this habit of coming off as unapproachable at work, so I have to make a mental

effort to be personable. I engage him in conversation, asked where he worked at and as soon

as I heard his drawl I asked him where he was originally from. His name is Dakota, he has

just moved to Chicago from Colorado, and he's in the mailroom. Dakota then proceeds to

talk passionately about his truck, regretting my personable approach at this point, I make an

excuse to exit the area... politely of course.

A week later I'm outside having a smoke with security when Dakota walks up. Security introduced

us. I said I have met Dakota, but I shook his hand anyway. Dakota blushed and replied that we

had met but he never knew my name. Oh shit here goes the truck conversation again, I looked

at them both and said, "I gotta get back to work".

A day later my phone rings, I didn't recognize the voice immediately, but it was Dakota. He needed

help. I found him, solved the problem and for some reason I turned around and gave him a high

five. He apologized for bothering me, I replied "Don't ever apologize for needing help, that's part

of my job." As I walked away I heard him say, "I wish I had your confidence."

Something reached into my soul at that point, and I just knew God had a plan for me.

Later that day I see him in the employee lounge. I start asking him questions... Where he plans

on going with our company? What he's interested in learning? How old he was? Then I caught him off guard and asked when was he diagnosed with ADHD? He's 20 and was diagnosed when he was six.

He doesn't think he's capable of doing anything at work but the mailroom. I explain to him that I have

intentions of bringing him to my division and training him, he hesitates and says he's not a people

person, I disagree. He asks me why him. I say because I already know you more than you know.

"And Dakota, you do know everything happens for a reason?" He looks away quickly, but not before

I see a hint of a smile. At that moment I had reached his soul.

I get back to my desk and I call my boss, "Where are you? Don't move." I corner him and I say

hear me out, I don't ask too much from you, and you are going to do this for me, and don't think

I'm crazy. There's a young man in the mail room, Dakota, you are going to get him transferred to me.

I see my bosses face go pale, he knows Dakota obviously. "I can't do that Jb, it will be overwhelming

for him." And the tears start streaming down my face, how do I tell my boss that it's God's plan for me?

"I can do this, I'll take full responsibility, you are always talking about making emotonal connections,

I know how to get through to him, every disorder he told me he has I'm already familiar with."

My boss is freaked out by my emotional outburst. He shakes his head and says he will see what he can do as he walks away.