Warm and Fuzzy's on the Bus

I went to a potluck the other night for the organization I interned at this fall, which involved a bus ride through downtown into South Seattle. I don't make it any farther south than Seneca very often, so it was nice to get out into some new neighborhoods. I was especially drawn to the vibrancy and life that seemed to abound in the International and Central Districts. Lots of cultural stimulation - art galleries, street art, fantastic little hole-in-the-wall restaurants everywhere, museums. It's on my list of places to explore.

But back to the bus ride. I was seated in the back, in the awkward row of seats that face each other, so you either end up staring uncomfortably at the people across from you, or end up twisting oddly in your seat to make it so that you're facing forward. I was doing the latter. A stop after I got on an older women got on and sat straight across from me and stayed on until we were in the heart of downtown. I noticed her pull out a pad of paper about halfway through the ride, but didn't think anything of it. I figured she was jotting down a to-do list, or absentmindedly doodling or something. I would have hardly noticed when she got off, save for the fact that as she left she handed me this:



I was caught completely off-guard, and she was gone before I could even register what had happened. My face reddened, and I was simultaneously touched, flattered, and embarassed. I've always thought of my profile as being a little weird. Not ugly, per se, but not attractive. The fact that a stranger had such a different impression of me was humbling. It's amazing how much impact such a simple gesture can have!

Thanks, kind woman on the bus. You made my night. Next time I find myself with pen and paper in hand, in the company of strangers, I'm going to make and effort to pay-it-forward. :)