Talking to Strangers

When I was younger, my friend Sarah would always chastise me for talking to the homeless people, or people trying to sell you things as we walked around downtown Columbia, MO. I would usually be responding to a greeting they offered first. I always thought, and still do think, what's the harm in saying, "Hi! I'm good, how are you?" Now that I live in a slightly larger city my correspondence with homeless people has slightly altered and is usually a "I'm sorry, I don't have any change." And let's be honest, I don't have "a moment for the environment" or the children or the animals when I'm rushing to get from point A to point B. Still, I try to remain as nice as possible, and try answering with an apologetic smile. However, recently my tendency to have brief conversations with strangers led to developing a relationship with the same street vendor I see every day.

Every morning, as I walk out of the Copley Square T station, I meet the same jolly man handing out the Boston Metro to my fellow commuters. He's always happy, always smiling. Never donning the orange Metro apron that cloak most Metro hander-outers. Instead he prefers his normal clothing accompanied by awesome sunglasses and a very stylish baseball cap. I don't remember how we first started talking. Knowing me, initially I most likely grinned, said a polite "No, thank you" to his kind Metro offering and proceeded on my way. The next day it probably developed into a "No, thank you. But have a great day!" And then the next it most likely was, "No, but thanks anyway. See you tomorrow?"

For the past few weeks our morning encounters have developed into a full on relationship. Upon my exit from the depths of the T station the Metro Man knows I don't want the paper. Instead he puts on a big smile when he sees me. Every morning with that smile, he opens his arms to give me a good morning hug. He always ends our morning embrace with a very much welcome, "Princess, did you change your hair? It looks great!" or "Girl, you're wearing those great glasses today." or "Have a great day, Princess!" You know, though. I just don't even know his name. Nor does he know mine. Regardless, we've managed to create an entire relationship based on the fact that he hands out Metros in the morning, and I happen to get off at this stop to get to work.

I considered this relationship this morning, and came to the conclusion that it's good to be nice to people, to respond to their greetings (within reason of course...). This is a quality I like in myself. And now I have a life long friend in the Metro Man.