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The old man at the bus stop who told me about his garden
I was waiting for the 4:15 bus in the rain last fall, and this guy in his 80s sat next to me. He pointed at my wet shoes and said, 'My tomatoes would love this weather.' He then pulled a photo from his wallet showing his whole backyard, just full of vegetables. He told me he's been planting the same bean variety there for 40 years. I still think about him every time I see someone gardening. Anyone have a story about a stranger who shared something small but nice with you?
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faith_king2mo ago
That's the thing, it feels like we're all walking around with these little pieces of our lives ready to share, but we need the right moment to open up. I notice it most in lines, at the store or waiting for coffee, where a small comment about the weather can turn into someone telling you about their dog or their grandkid. We're all just waiting for a sign that it's okay to be a person and not just another body in the way. What was the last small talk that turned real for you?
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ray_campbell462mo ago
Honestly, that's the kind of thing I'd forget to do. I'd get the photo of my garden developed, put it in my wallet, and then just hand a cashier my grocery receipt when I tried to show someone. That old man had his act together, carrying a picture just in case a good conversation came up. It's a nice change from people just staring at their phones. Makes you wonder how many good stories we miss because we don't talk to each other anymore.
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