A Reason to smile

I had a really nice experiance today, something that, due to the way i dress and look, does not happen very often.

for those of you that know me well, i am tall tattooed, and wear a lot of black clothing.

You will also know that i am one of the most friendly people you will ever meet, i dont put on a pretence of being nice, i just am genuinely nice.

Well, often when i am out walking i get looks from little old ladies who look quite afraid of me even though i smile, or move out of their way, or give them my seat on the bus.i was sitting at a bus stop on dominion rd to go to st lukes when i saw a very wee little old lady with a limp coming towards me, i moved over on the seat i was on at the bus stop so she could sit there, after all i have yet to believe politeness has died.

she smiled and sat down next to me, turned and said, as soon as i was close enough, your eyes told me you were a nice person.i think thats one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me and it made me smile so much.

i said thankyou and we talked solidly for about 45 minutes, about drugs, music and life in the winter.she said she thought my decision to smoke was a noble one because i dont do any drugs.

she told me that whisky was a manly drink and that it makes a mans voice sound like a mans voice even if that man isnt all that masculine in the car driving- sports obssessed way.eventually she said she needed to keep walking and i shook her hand and we exchanged names.

her name is kathryn, 79 years old and been living here since 1958 and never been back home to yorkshire because she was raped by her father.i told her that i admired her and i hoped we would cross paths again one day on dominion rd.

she said she would tell her daughter about me and how its so crucial not to judge someone by how they look which is of course an old cliche which people do anyway because sometimes you just cant help it.I have been smiling all day.as i got on the bus and sat down she waved goodbye, and i thought yeah, ill see you again sometime on a bus stop resting your legs.

so as the bus moved on, i put 'further on up the rd' by Johnny Cash on my ipod and listened as the bus rumbled through the streets to st lukes and smiled all the way.its nice to know that there are some genuinely nice strangers out there.hope you meet one soon to enlighten you and give you a smile like the one i now have.Chur.