of an A Grade and an Attitude

I was in semester 3 when my friends (Ejum and Fizah) and I was about struggling to enter an almost full elevator in our faculty. It was about 8.30 am. We made it into the elevator when our C++ lecturer Mrs Hasmila arrived at the elevator and tried to step in.

Unfortunately, the elevator was already full and not a single person could fit in it anymore. Mrs Hasmila lifted up her face and give a please-give-up-a-room-for-me look to the ones who were in front of the elevator's door. And from the middle of the elevator, I could see no one was willingly to give up their space by stepping out from the elevator to give to that poor lecturer because everybody, who were all of them are the students, was running out of time to go to their classes.

Mrs Hasmila was ignored by everybody when I gave Ejum and Fizah a look. A look to consider to give up our space for Mrs Hasmila. They got my hint. And I opened my mouth to ask an excuse from the people inside the elevator to jump out and they gave us the way out. I could sense a relief aura from everybody.

"Madam, masuklah," we said to Mrs Hasmila once we got out.

Mrs Hasmila looked at us in surprise, happy, touched and other mixed feelings that I could see in her face.

"Oh, thank you," she smiled and stepped in.

And you cannot tell the satisfaction of a very little favour that you do, do give a big impact to the one who receives the favour, as well as to your life.

At 10.30 am on the same day, we had our class with Mrs Hasmila. We got into the class about 5 minutes late. And Mrs Hasmila was already in the room but had not start the lecture yet.

"I want to tell you a story," Mrs Hasmila started as Ejum, Fizah and I settled down.

"This morning, I was late to punch my card. And when I got to the elevator, it was full. Suddenly, three students got out and let me in," Mrs Hasmila was talking while smiling. I did not pay attention to her because I knew she was describing this morning incident.

"I was very touched and surprised. I did not expect they would do that," she kept on telling her story.

"And you all want to know who are they? They are Hidayah, Haidzum and Fizah," she called out our names. I kept my head down when Aminah who sat next to me poked me and said "Patutlah kau taknak dengar cerita Madam eh." And I smiled.

"I'm giving them bonus points for their deed," Mrs Hasmila said something that we did not expect. The bonus points that she mentioned was originally to be given out if we done well in our assignments and quizzes throughout the classes, but she was very generous to grant it to us just because a little favour that we offered.

And when the results came out, I got an A for C++.

The biggest credit goes to our beloved BEL 403 lecturer, Prof Hasnah who indirectly taught us manners. She once told us the manners in the elevator such as DON'T TALK TOO LOUD as if only you and your friends are in the elevator, GIVE UP A ROOM especially to the elders. And yes, I remembered the advices when I faced the situation with Mrs Hasmila.

Please my friend, attitude can touch people's heart.