On Monday, an exceptionally bright young woman walked to her door, pulled on a light jacket, and headed outside for a walk. She soon met another person, who greeted her warmly, though she was a stranger.
“Come, have a seat, and learn about ME,” said the stranger, thrusting out a colorful invitation toward the bright young woman.
“I don’t know who you are, though,” replied the young woman.
“But I’m so INTERESTING!” said the stranger, again holding out the colorful invitation as the young woman continued on her way.
She walked briskly along for several more minutes when a second anonymous stranger greeted her in a similarly familiar way.
“Hello, old friend,” the second stranger called to her warmly. “Stop a moment, and let me tell you how USEFUL I am!”
The young woman paused. “Thanks, but I’m not really in need of anything today,” she replied, continuing on her walk.
“If you change your mind and need anything, I’ll be there for you--like a trusted friend!” the second stranger called out from the increasing distance.
The bright young woman had nearly forgotten the morning’s two odd greetings when a third stranger approached her suddenly on the sidewalk.
“My best friend ever! It’s so good to see you on the sidewalk this lovely day. Let’s get caught up. Tell me all about yourself!”
“Have we met?” asked the bright young woman courteously.
“Not officially, but I’ve seen you on the sidewalk dozens of times,” replied the completely anonymous random stranger. “You walk by here all the time on the way to somewhere interesting and useful. I’d love to know all about it, so that I can tell you all about the completely relevant and beneficial attributes that a completely trustful random stranger with my unique mission statement and helpful service-minded attitude can offer. You probably didn’t know HOW helpful I can be to you. Let’s be friends so I can tell you all about ME, and then you can check in on me and see what I’m doing all the time.”
“Maybe some other time...like when I really need something,” the bright young woman replied, and stepped off the sidewalk to hail a cab for the return trip home.
As she opened the door to the cab, she noticed the third stranger already talking to another person on the sidewalk. Neither looked up as she closed the door and settled back in the seat.
“Where to, lady?” asked the driver, with a hint of accented speech.
As they drove along together, they traded the small talk that cab drivers, doormen, and hairdressers make to put others at ease. They drove past the second and first strangers, both talking to their new unknown best friends, and telling them how useful and interesting they were.
The bright young woman thanked and paid the cab driver, then walked up to her front door in the late morning sunshine. Within minutes of stepping inside, she had forgotten taking a walk at all, and carried on with her day, unaware of the strangers still greeting their new best friends on the sidewalk outside.
“Come, have a seat, and learn about ME,” said the stranger, thrusting out a colorful invitation toward the bright young woman.
“I don’t know who you are, though,” replied the young woman.
“But I’m so INTERESTING!” said the stranger, again holding out the colorful invitation as the young woman continued on her way.
She walked briskly along for several more minutes when a second anonymous stranger greeted her in a similarly familiar way.
“Hello, old friend,” the second stranger called to her warmly. “Stop a moment, and let me tell you how USEFUL I am!”
The young woman paused. “Thanks, but I’m not really in need of anything today,” she replied, continuing on her walk.
“If you change your mind and need anything, I’ll be there for you--like a trusted friend!” the second stranger called out from the increasing distance.
The bright young woman had nearly forgotten the morning’s two odd greetings when a third stranger approached her suddenly on the sidewalk.
“My best friend ever! It’s so good to see you on the sidewalk this lovely day. Let’s get caught up. Tell me all about yourself!”
“Have we met?” asked the bright young woman courteously.
“Not officially, but I’ve seen you on the sidewalk dozens of times,” replied the completely anonymous random stranger. “You walk by here all the time on the way to somewhere interesting and useful. I’d love to know all about it, so that I can tell you all about the completely relevant and beneficial attributes that a completely trustful random stranger with my unique mission statement and helpful service-minded attitude can offer. You probably didn’t know HOW helpful I can be to you. Let’s be friends so I can tell you all about ME, and then you can check in on me and see what I’m doing all the time.”
“Maybe some other time...like when I really need something,” the bright young woman replied, and stepped off the sidewalk to hail a cab for the return trip home.
As she opened the door to the cab, she noticed the third stranger already talking to another person on the sidewalk. Neither looked up as she closed the door and settled back in the seat.
“Where to, lady?” asked the driver, with a hint of accented speech.
As they drove along together, they traded the small talk that cab drivers, doormen, and hairdressers make to put others at ease. They drove past the second and first strangers, both talking to their new unknown best friends, and telling them how useful and interesting they were.
The bright young woman thanked and paid the cab driver, then walked up to her front door in the late morning sunshine. Within minutes of stepping inside, she had forgotten taking a walk at all, and carried on with her day, unaware of the strangers still greeting their new best friends on the sidewalk outside.
This bright young woman must be rich too because a bright young woman would have known that had she spent a few minutes "getting to know" these strangers she may have walked away with some decent coupons....
ReplyDeleteMongood, I like the way you think....
ReplyDelete