33 The trolley squeaked along the corridor until we reached the X-ray
department. Geoff handed over a pink card and the technician disappeared into a small office. Thankfully there were only a
couple of other patients ahead of us. A thought struck me. “Anyway, shouldn’t a porter be doing this?”
“All otherwise engaged,” Geoff said. “But if you don’t want me here, I can go.” 106-107
In the X-ray department, he accompanies Ed and acts like a porter because all porters are busy and no one can take care of Ed. He offers to help but he does
not force Ed to accept his help. Geoff is involved actively in Buddhist organization and he is a Samaritan
which means that he is on his way to become a monk. As a Samaritan and involved actively in Buddhist organization, he likes helping other people in the
world especially the poor. … -about Geoff, for example. According to Dora and other’s friend
of his I’ve met, he wasn’t just active in the Buddhist organization but was a Samaritan, supported several charities, and worked with
the local council on various multicultural projects, like a huge international food fair they put on a few years ago. 278
Geoff does not treat people differently because he thinks that people are equal so that they deserve to be helped. It is proved by his effort to work on
various multicultural projects, which means he works with and for people from different cultural backgrounds.
c. Contented
As mentioned above, Geoff is a helpful man. He likes working on the international projects to help other people, but personally, Geoff is a contented
34 man. He does not look for popularity because he is satisfied with his life as a
window-cleaner. It can be inferred from his speech and character as seen by others.
“How long ago was this?” I asked “Thirteen years.”
“And you’ve been washing windows ever since?” ‘I really enjoyed it,’ he said, laughing. “I like being outside, I meet
a lot of people, go to lots of different places. Like, where you saw me-that’s my biggest gig. Takes a week, once a month. The rest of
the time I’m all over the City and the West End, doing everything from hotels to shops to restaurants to private houses-you name it.”
“It’s still just cleaning windows though, isn’t it?” I said. “I mean, after having your own company…”
“God, the hassle in that,” he countered. “Fussy clients, architects, the spec always changing, or guys never showing up for work, or
skiving off, or always trying to cut corners. No. what I do is simple, straightforward, gives me enough to live on, and when I
finish a job it’s finished. I go home, no worries, no paperwork in the evenings, and I sleep bloody well.” He smiled and toasted me
with his beer. A contented man. 160
After his marriage ends and he loses his company, he tries to start a new life. In the situation of having no money, he borrows some money from his friend
to buy a bucket and starts becoming a window-cleaner. The job as a window- cleaner is considered not a prestigious job. Even so, Geoff does not care because
he enjoys his job as a window-cleaner. He can meet a lot of people and have different workplaces. Though it does not give him a lot of money, but it gives him
enough money to live and he does not have to be worried because of paperwork and he can sleep well.
