Tuesday, February 15, 2011
irony is a bitch
When I got off the bus and started walking home, I had my face down trying to be calm and to not cry. I had stared thinking about my dad on the bus ride home and started missing him terribly and getting all teary. I've been all flustered and disorganized lately and could use some Daddy advice. But I was trying get home without crying. Mid-intersection, a local guy pushing a shopping cart stopped me and asked "do you ever smile?" I told him I was having a rough day, and he smiled at me and said "I'm sorry." I thanked him, smiled back, and kept walking. His smile and sorry were so incredibly sincere. I told a homeless guy I was having a rough day. It didn't connect until I was through the intersection and back on the sidewalk.
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2 comments:
Which, yes, ironic, he's homeless, his life is obviously rough, he wins the misfortune sweepstakes.
OTOH, this *entitlement,* this *ownership*, so many of the male half of the species seems to feel over women's bodies --- Jesus. WTF? You have to smile because HE wants to see happy women around him?
Sorry. I get what you're saying.
But here in Arkansas, it's absolutely part of the Female Human Being training. Little girl children are taught that they HAVE to smile and be happy, all the time, because Jesus made the world, and if they aren't smiling, that shows they don't love Jesus and his world.
And both here and in New Orleans, where I grew up, that happens, all the time -- guys, random guys, "Smile!" "Why aren't you smiling?" "Come on, sweetie, smile for me!" "Aw, it can't be that bad! Smile!"
Because it's every woman's job to decorate their lives?
How many MEN do you suppose get told by random strangers on the street that they need to smile?
(/rant.)
I get what you're saying. Other men have stopped me and asked why I wasn't smiling, and I'm usually rude to them or ignore them because, as you say, WTF, why do I need to be smiling?
I don't know why I answered this guy honestly. But I was struck by the expression on this guy's face; it was very empathetic.
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