I was walking out of Target, and a kid (if 20something can qualify as kid) said randomly to me:
"You're smiling. It's nice to see someone smiling. It's not something people do in the Cities. I thought it was a West Coast thing."
And I felt so lucky, cause I didn't know I was doing that.
And I asked, "How's your day?" because I'm awkward as sin.
And then I thanked him, and told him that he had made my day by saying that.
And I was all happy for the smiling, as I walked to my tiny car. That a stranger had talked to me, and said nice things.
And then I became SAD.
As - - smiling is not the norm here. In public, not what you do.
It's always sort of been one of my fussy bits about Minneapolis.
It might be a 'big city' thing, but I think it's more of a Northern-Scandinavian-thing, as Minneapolis ISN'T that big.
I'd like to be able to be smiley in public for no good reason. And if I'm doing it subconsciously, I won't try and stop. For-the-sake-of-the-Children!!, I won't try and stop.
After he stopped me, I immediately thought of moving to California. Newly romanticized California. ("Can people smile in California? There's sun and beach and terrible public school and funny apartments with swimming pools. Maybe it's time to move there! For-the-sake-of-the-Children!!")
And then I felt intrenched and blessed. I'm so lucky to know everyone I know here in Minneapolis, and I've laughed more here than anyplace in my life.
And when there's no reason to smile except for being lucky enough to have the cash to purchase what I need to purchase and it's really beautiful out, I'll keep smiling.
Onward.
"You're smiling. It's nice to see someone smiling. It's not something people do in the Cities. I thought it was a West Coast thing."
And I felt so lucky, cause I didn't know I was doing that.
And I asked, "How's your day?" because I'm awkward as sin.
And then I thanked him, and told him that he had made my day by saying that.
And I was all happy for the smiling, as I walked to my tiny car. That a stranger had talked to me, and said nice things.
And then I became SAD.
As - - smiling is not the norm here. In public, not what you do.
It's always sort of been one of my fussy bits about Minneapolis.
It might be a 'big city' thing, but I think it's more of a Northern-Scandinavian-thing, as Minneapolis ISN'T that big.
I'd like to be able to be smiley in public for no good reason. And if I'm doing it subconsciously, I won't try and stop. For-the-sake-of-the-Children!!, I won't try and stop.
After he stopped me, I immediately thought of moving to California. Newly romanticized California. ("Can people smile in California? There's sun and beach and terrible public school and funny apartments with swimming pools. Maybe it's time to move there! For-the-sake-of-the-Children!!")
And when there's no reason to smile except for being lucky enough to have the cash to purchase what I need to purchase and it's really beautiful out, I'll keep smiling.
Onward.
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