A bit of cheer amongst the drear
Feb. 25th, 2009 04:49 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jaunthieBetween the economy (bad and getting worse), the upcoming deadline (massive and getting scarier), and the soggy weather (great for the plants already in the ground, great for our snowpack, but not so much fun when walking to/from the bus), there's plenty of doom-and-gloom to go around these days. It would be very easy to get snarly or surly or just sad.
And then little things happen that remind you that the entire world does not, in fact, suck.
Little thing #1: We had a real cloudburst on Monday afternoon, just as I was walking to catch the bus home. Fortunately I had my umbrella and my raincoat with me, so I wasn't getting too soaked. However, that was not true for everyone; as I came up to the crosswalk to the bus station, I saw a woman without either coat or brolly getting soaked while waiting for the light to change. I hurried on up to her and held my brolly over us both, and we both made it to the bus shelter without getting too much wetter. This kind of thing isn't uncommon where I live; I've been brolly-bringer and happy-recipient-of-someone-else's-brolly several times. What is uncommon is what happened to me today: the woman spotted me at the bus stop (I think she was watching for me!), came up to me, and thanked me again for keeping her from getting soaked. We had a very nice chat while waiting for our respective buses. A little thing, but happy-making nonetheless.
Little thing #2: The bus has a limited number of seats, and sometimes there's more would-be riders than there are legal spots to carry them. Such was the case tonight. One of the would-be riders was visibly upset at realizing that there was no room for her, worried about picking up her kids in time if she had to wait for the next bus (assuming there was room on that one) and asking the driver if there was any way she could just cram in or something. The driver did what he legally had to do; said no, and the lady got off the bus. At which point one of the other riders who had a seat got up, went to the door, and told the woman that hey, if she was really worried about picking up her kids in time, she could have his place, he'd risk the next bus. Needless to say, she took him up on his generous offer.
This maybe isn't such a little thing as the first one, as the buses can be too-packed-for-riders until after 7 some days. Bit it definitely fits into the "little things that make you feel better about the human race" category.
Anyone else feel like sharing some cheer?
And then little things happen that remind you that the entire world does not, in fact, suck.
Little thing #1: We had a real cloudburst on Monday afternoon, just as I was walking to catch the bus home. Fortunately I had my umbrella and my raincoat with me, so I wasn't getting too soaked. However, that was not true for everyone; as I came up to the crosswalk to the bus station, I saw a woman without either coat or brolly getting soaked while waiting for the light to change. I hurried on up to her and held my brolly over us both, and we both made it to the bus shelter without getting too much wetter. This kind of thing isn't uncommon where I live; I've been brolly-bringer and happy-recipient-of-someone-else's-brolly several times. What is uncommon is what happened to me today: the woman spotted me at the bus stop (I think she was watching for me!), came up to me, and thanked me again for keeping her from getting soaked. We had a very nice chat while waiting for our respective buses. A little thing, but happy-making nonetheless.
Little thing #2: The bus has a limited number of seats, and sometimes there's more would-be riders than there are legal spots to carry them. Such was the case tonight. One of the would-be riders was visibly upset at realizing that there was no room for her, worried about picking up her kids in time if she had to wait for the next bus (assuming there was room on that one) and asking the driver if there was any way she could just cram in or something. The driver did what he legally had to do; said no, and the lady got off the bus. At which point one of the other riders who had a seat got up, went to the door, and told the woman that hey, if she was really worried about picking up her kids in time, she could have his place, he'd risk the next bus. Needless to say, she took him up on his generous offer.
This maybe isn't such a little thing as the first one, as the buses can be too-packed-for-riders until after 7 some days. Bit it definitely fits into the "little things that make you feel better about the human race" category.
Anyone else feel like sharing some cheer?
no subject
Date: 2009-02-27 10:47 pm (UTC)