Every Once in a While

I took these pictures on the way home last night. I'm sure blue shirt was leery, but he didn't mention it if he was. He contrasted sharply with the guy I ran into this morning.

On the way to work, a gentlemen hopped on the 5 somewhere by the Convention Center on High. He took the open seat next to me and immediately asked how the day was going. The code of bus silence amongst strangers was broken and I had to act fast. Retrieve what little I had left of my personal refuge or see what he was about? I chose the latter and I'm glad I did. In the few blocks together on the bus, we wove through conversations about the Reds, the Bengals, the Tribe, the Short North gallery hop and it was brilliant. He had me laughing out loud several times. Sure, he wreaked of Marlboro, but his demeanor was enviable and it made my day.

So it made me think... is it worth it to put up such a guard? Sure, you won't be bothered by the guy that asks you to check the back of his shirt because as he puts it, "a pimple on his back may have burst"... but what are you missing out on if that's your stance? I wish everyone, including myself, had the confidence of that man on the bus today... the confidence to know that not everyone is a tired, bitchy, lonely lemming on their way to their boring-ass job. And even if they were, that doesn't mean that you automatically hate life. Either way, whatever he was doing, he was enjoying it and I'm forever in his debt for simply asking how I was doing.

In the meantime, go to Brad's blog (LINKS) to watch a clip of our senior year spring break. I would say something but he's already said it best.