Nametag of plastic, heart of gold

It reads Whoopster, and that's what most people call her, but it's not her name.

The radiance exuded from the warm curve of her lips could convince anyone that she breathes a flawless existence, with not a care in the world. Of course, appearances can be deceiving as there's more to her life than bagels and coffee cake.

But getting her to believe that may take more time than it's worth.

Whether only those 10 die-hard studiers are in for a late lunch and she's silently wiping the 25 Torani flavor syrup bottles or it's 12:30 in the afternoon, five people are running registers at etc. and there's still a line, she'll be smiling.

Despite a monthly change in her curly dark-chocolate-colored locks from long braids to short and electric and back to braids with highlights in an array of color, the grin remains constant.

When she speaks her voice cracks a little, but it's not like a soft virgin river flowing with sound that dances upon your eardrums. It's experience, the calm after rapids; it's the determination to shine through dark clouds.

It may be hard to tell in only a few busy words, "Next, $3.57, OK, thank you. Next," but Laura Marshall has a heart that wants to serve, to help and to give that special attention few seem to give.

"Whoopster"

She actually coined the name after her sister-in-law volunteered her for a look-a-like contest on a KOMO 4 Northwest Afternoon special.

Coming in second to a young Prince Charles on live TV, "Whoopi Goldberg" was spotted by a Renton company called Intel International. It started with a business card and shortly thereafter turned into a $100-an-hour, on-the-side job.

The agency would send her and other look-a-likes, such as Britney Spears and James Bond, to parties where they would mingle with people while in character. Party-goers would get their picture taken with one of the look-a-likes,"because then it was like, you know, you're hangin' out wit' Whoopi Goldberg," she said.

Even though it was a few years ago, the name has stuck.

Working for the university starting in 1998 at By George, Marshall was able to be one of the first to hear about a job opening in the HUB. In this case, persistence paved the way as her daily phone calls led to the landing of a full-time position at etc.

Since then, even through the remodel of the HUB in 1999 and 2000, Marshall has worked with other etc. employees and made a few friends too.

A typical day in the HUB gets busy, but as one of the fastest cashiers with many friends and an attitude to kill a pessimist, it doesn't have to get as mundane as it seems.

Marshall's face lights up as she describes the busy time of the day.

"Jordi and I, we like to race on the registers. She thinks she's faster than I, and I know I'm faster than she is," Marshall said.

And usually, nobody even knows they're racing, all they know is they're getting through the line fast. It's a lot of responsibility to be the one who's worked there the longest, to know all the prices and be one of the fastest at the register, but to Marshall, it's just what she does.

"I've been serving the people, now I want to help the people," she commented, while discussing her goals for the future.

Having completed a little bit of school already, she has been working towardsbecoming a certified nurses assistant at the UW hospital. At least, that's what she wants to do -- really bad.

But school is expensive, and to pay for the six months of education necessary for the position instead of working an eight-hour day is something the checkbook can't promise.

So she stays at work and remembers the days at Harborview as a food-service worker where she would deliver food to patients in their rooms.

"You know [if] somebody's like really sick, I couldn't just go in there and set the tray down," Marshall said. "Like, if somebody needed to be set up, like open up their milk or cut their meat up or something, I would do it."

Spending extra time in the patients' rooms took up moments that didn't always reap kudos with the higher powers. But in 1998, the positions at Harborview underwent a makeover and, in order to maintain the same pay rate, Marshall transferred to By George.

The bigger picture

She prays every day. She worries too. Not that her face communicates that, but maybe it's because she prays more than she worries.

These worries have little to do with personal cares, but rather they encompass a much larger picture.

She's on her knees every day for the soldiers in Iraq -- one in particular. His name is Artist Marshall, Laura's 22 year-old son who is a corporal in the Marines. He's been gone since February, but should be home soon.

The recent deaths of soldiers in Iraq only increase the worries she has. She thinks about it every day, prays about it every day and every day looks at life a little differently.

"I just take it one day at a time," said Marshall.

Happiness is easier to come by when Marshall realizes she could be waking up to gunshots like those soldiers in Iraq. That realization of happiness puts life into perspective, something she brings to work with her every day.

"There ain't no doughnuts?" asked Marshall. "Well whatever, I'm not going to trip on that."

She's big on treating everyone with love, and is constantly reminded every time she thinks of her son to be thankful for what she has. It fuels her positive attitude.

Being at the HUB every day gives Marshall a chance to share kindness and to give a bit of her love to a place filled with all kinds of people. One of her favorite things about her job is getting to interact with people of different ethnicities every day.

Though someone may only be at the counter for second-hand movement, there's still the smile.

"Balance Bar -- come on baby," said Marshall while ringing up a customer.

Her co-workers describe her as outgoing and fun, words that, although cliche, fit Marshall's personality like an elegant glove.

"Me, I'm just different," Marshall said. "Yeah, I've been through bad times and good times, so I just take life one day at a time now, and everything is just cool."

And with that kind of an attitude, things stay cool for Marshall -- cool like an iced non-fat chai tea latte, with a Balance Bar.