BUFFALO, N.Y. — Rain or shine, Clarence Jones II lets his smile and positive outlook do the talking as he directs traffic into and out of the parking lots at Canisius High School.
The Buffalo native is a Grover Cleveland High School alumnus and former Buffalo Police officer. In his 24 years as a cop he has seen a lot, and dealt with the worst. Instead of carrying that with him though, he strives to bring his best.
Every morning, he stands out there, his wide smile brighter than the yellow vest he wears, hoping to spread a little sunshine even on the rainiest of days. "If I can uplift someone and enjoy my job, that's a good thing, I feel that's a very good thing."
And when most drivers would be frustrated snarled in traffic as they try to make their way to work, Clarence has found that a smile is contagious.
"I see they smile when we get that contact, and it makes me smile," Jones said.
And couldn't we all use a smile right about now?