WHERE in the world have we gotten to?

This is just a fresh impression, but it made me wonder greatly.

I got up, as per usual, and was grinch-like, as per usual, and running on empty at home. So I went and got cigarettes, and then crossed the big intersection to go to the supermarket and get some breakfast that would turn me into some semblance of a human being, you know? Beautiful morning, by the way.....

So am at the next one waiting to get over to the supermarket, and this little girl, maybe five years old, just looked at me.... and the grinch went away, she was that charming. So I melted and smiled and said, 'Hey, hallo...'

Whereupon she punched her father's arm and made him look at me. And I said, 'All I said was 'hallo'...' And he said, 'Thank you'. Gorgeous man, btw.

And that 'Thank you' really threw me for a loop. I was so taken aback that I didn't have the time to ask 'WHY?'. Because the light changed and we went our separate ways.

To clarify, both father and daughter are from Africa.

And of course I know why... but at the moment it startled me into waking up. He is used to being invisible, as well as that lovely child. And just because I acknowleged her being in our world made him thank me. I never thought that I would get so into race issues on this blog, but all it takes is a multi-culti neighborhood, and you get along with your neighbors, hey. And I look at people, and some of them are just beautiful. Their souls shine through their eyes.

So where are we going with all this, huh?

That poor man, thanking me for being myself. And I hate the people who made his experience so horrible that he would think to do that.

So sick, hey....