This too shall pass

Remember Hong? She is still there, still opening at 7 a.m. and closing at 7 p.m.

But when I walk in the door, the racks are empty and it breaks my heart. There is a lonely coat hanging in the corner, some ugly long dresses showing on one other rack but basically, it's empty. You can tell something is wrong.

She comes from the back to greet me, still with a smile. "Long time no see," she says. "I know, I was away." I tell her. (Although I could have paid 2 bucks to get my dress dry cleaned on the other side of the world, I decided I missed Hong and rather bring it back to her for the job.)

"How is business?", I ask her reluctantly knowing the answer to my question is rather obvious. "It's bad." She declares, still with a smile. "But it will get better", she adds almost immediately. And that's when I know she is still the same Hong I know: hardworking, determined and hopeful.

And that's how people who will survive "this economic crisis" do it, they come in every day with a smile and know that this too, shall pass.