contents - Gallatin School of Individualized Study - New York ...

khady gueye Finding Encouragement100“Can we ask the manager if Khady can have a different job, so that she has timeto play with me?” Her mother said, “Why not?” and she wrote a letter to themanager.She told the manager, “I don’t mind spending the money to stay at thehotel. My daughter and I like this hotel. My daughter likes to play with Khady, butKhady doesn’t have time because she has 15 rooms to clean. We are asking you ifthere is an opportunity for Khady to go to a different department, so she will havetime for my daughter. They enjoy each other’s company.” She and her daughterwent downstairs to Mr. Culveze’s office. They handed him the letter. The mothersaid, “I would be delighted if you open this now, and let me know what you thinkabout what I wrote.”After Mr. Culveze read the letter, he smiled and giggled. “I know whereI can put Khady. There is someone retiring from the elevator next week. Howabout I give Khady that job, then you can sing, you can dance, and she can take youup and down all the time,” he said. The little girl was so excited. “I can see Khadyevery morning!”Now I’ve been an elevator operator for 19 years and two months.Khady Gueye, age 53, was born in Dakar, Senegal. She studies English at the NewYork Public Library’s St. Agnes Center for Reading and Writing. Her tutors areAnnette M. Brown and Harriet Grossman; the site advisor is Steven Mahoney.“I have been blessed in so many experiences since I have been in the UnitedStates,” says Khady Gueye. “Above all, I love interacting with people, especiallyolder people and children.” She hopes to one day write her own book.