October 6, 2009
Posted in Life, Personal, story tagged kindness of strangers, scarf comments at 12:21 am by pdxfirefly
While shopping last week, Portland Firefly was wearing her comfortable scarf wrapped around her head. It is an especially pretty scarf ~ long and soft and muted in color. She was also wearing her newly Saturday Market purchased necklace.
I was concentrating on searching the aisles of Marshall’s ~ a store I had not been in months ~ and I was just enjoying being able to get out again even though I was starting to get tired. A man walked by me and did a casual double take ( I am getting used to them) and said “Your scarf is beautiful.” As I turned full face to look him right in the eyes he said “The way you have it tied is unique and you look stunning, absolutely stunning.” I thanked him and as he was walking away, through the tears in my eyes, I told him “Thank you. You made my day.” As I continued my browsing, the tears came and I thought that he seemed so kind and genuine. I was reminded of the phrase from the play “A Streetcar named Desire” where the heroine says something about relying on the kindness of strangers.
Since I live alone, there is no one around to give me compliments. And I do try hard to look nice whenever I go out. Usually I will get surreptitious stares ~ not malicious~ and wondering looks because of my turbaned head. Little girls especially find looking at my scarf irresistable – turning their heads around even as they are pulled along by their parents. Occasionally a woman will comment on how my scarf has been interestingly tied. But I don’t think I have ever been stopped by a stranger and told that I look stunning.
I thank the kindness of that stranger for that special compliment.
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October 6, 2009
The Kindness of Strangers
Posted in Life, Personal, story tagged kindness of strangers, scarf comments at 12:21 am by pdxfirefly
While shopping last week, Portland Firefly was wearing her comfortable scarf wrapped around her head. It is an especially pretty scarf ~ long and soft and muted in color. She was also wearing her newly Saturday Market purchased necklace.
I was concentrating on searching the aisles of Marshall’s ~ a store I had not been in months ~ and I was just enjoying being able to get out again even though I was starting to get tired. A man walked by me and did a casual double take ( I am getting used to them) and said “Your scarf is beautiful.” As I turned full face to look him right in the eyes he said “The way you have it tied is unique and you look stunning, absolutely stunning.” I thanked him and as he was walking away, through the tears in my eyes, I told him “Thank you. You made my day.” As I continued my browsing, the tears came and I thought that he seemed so kind and genuine. I was reminded of the phrase from the play “A Streetcar named Desire” where the heroine says something about relying on the kindness of strangers.
Since I live alone, there is no one around to give me compliments. And I do try hard to look nice whenever I go out. Usually I will get surreptitious stares ~ not malicious~ and wondering looks because of my turbaned head. Little girls especially find looking at my scarf irresistable – turning their heads around even as they are pulled along by their parents. Occasionally a woman will comment on how my scarf has been interestingly tied. But I don’t think I have ever been stopped by a stranger and told that I look stunning.
I thank the kindness of that stranger for that special compliment.
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