So the most amazing thing happened to me earlier. I was just idly walking across campus, minding my own business and feeling shitty as per usual. Suddenly this guy I’ve never met entered my line of sight and, with the single purest childlike excitement I’ve only ever associated with golden retriever puppies, exclaimed “Star wars!”, eyes lit up as they met with my upper garment. Of course he was gesturing at one of my most prized possessions, a bootleg Empire Strikes Back tee which I got for no more than 4 dollars off of the flea market. At this point I was so taken off guard that in response I just started to stammer while waiting for the right words to come out of my facehole. Lucky for me and my awkward deadass he extended me his hand and the little exchange progressed into us just randomly talking about movies and The Rise of Skywalker (which I have yet to see). But he must have been in a hurry, taking off right in the middle of our conversation without as much as letting me return the courtesy as I watched his 6 ft stature tapered into the ongoing procession.
You must be wondering, why the heck am I even telling you this ? This pedestrian story with normal written all over it despite how impressive I claimed it to be. Well you see, to me it is anything but regular. With my track record of being the most reticent human being alive I’d have just passed myself by if I were him. And what ? Missed out on making someone’s day and giving them a smile comparable to that of Joker’s that they’d still wear on their face though more than an hour has since passed ? He, however, chose not to. What apprehension there was must have been completely overtaken by the most precious urge to share experiences with strangers, with fellow human beings, and soon to be friends after that. With this I’m just letting you know you have the power to make people’s lives just a bit better, as the Star Wars kid did mine. I urge you, and myself, to go out there and simply say hi or smile at others (not in a creepy stalkery way though lest you want to end up in the back of a police car and ultimately the rapist archive) or maybe just, you know, strike up a talk. Because not unlike butter you let sit out for half a day, or an especially ripe fart, kindness is spreadable, at least as it’s been reinforced for me.
Toaster Oven Potato 