Hey.

I'm back (I think). This is what Deb does - she disappears for awhile. Hides? Rejuvenates.

So today when I was out riding I realized that I do something - it's a bit of an experiment. When I'm out and about I try and see who I can get to smile back at me. It's such an easy thing - a smile, but it lingers. The warmth stays with you long after the person's passed. A smile can really have an impact - that split second can turn around a person's entire day (if it's been a bad one). I've learned that many (most) don't just dole out a smile - you have to initiate it. There aren't too many smilers left...people who just wander around looking happy. Maybe just the crazies (like me?).

Behind my smile I also can have a bit of a mean streak though. Well, maybe not mean - just intolerant? For instance (and this usually just happens with bitchy looking women), if I ride by, smile and say hello to someone and they don't respond, it ain't pretty. When I'm beyond that person (but not out of earshot) I usually follow up with a growling, under my breath but loud enough to be heard "biiiiiiitch". Just to make the point. It goes like this:

Deb: smile/"hello"
Person: nothing, nadda
Deb: "biiiiiitch", followed by another smile that person can't see.

I'm a little twisted.

Anyhow, today I analyzed my data and I came to this conclusion:

Smiles often come from the most unlikely candidates. Those who look like they should have a reason to smile - the well to do's who are sitting on sunny patios in nice clothes, sipping cool (overpriced) lattes, often don't. I ride by and smile and they sit there, like well placed mannequins. They don't even blink.

But today as I rode towards an elderly, rather disheveled looking Asian man with a walker who was struggling to get up the incline with what looked like a care aide, I smiled. And I got the warmest, toothiest, happiest grin I've seen in weeks.

It's just that simple.

(FTR: homeless people are the best smilers yet. Next to us crazies, of course)