So, yesterday I passed a man on the street and I smiled (because I always smile because it’s a nice thing to do because you never know who might need a smile- also, Annie taught me you’re never fully dressed without a smile and I wouldn’t want a stranger to see me naked). After I smiled, the man said “Hi there sunshine.” And then I thought all of these things all at once.
1. That was an odd thing to say.
2. Was that a pick-up line?
3. Was he referring to my bright yellow dress?
4. Maybe I shouldn’t smile at people any more.
5. Maybe I should keep smiling at people, maybe no one was nice to him today and now I was and he feels all happy inside.
And then I got distracted by girl scout cookies. True story.
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Perhaps your smile brightened his day….unless he was implying that your teeth were yellow.
Hmmm….the genteel Southern lady in me will not allow for no greeting, and a smile qualifies as such. I shall have to come up with a chart for the proper smile wattage and correspondence panic reaction to given responses. You have given me a good idea there, Girl…..
Now pass those cookies…..
I’m glad to hear there is someone else out there that smiles at strangers passing by. The sad thing is they normally look right through me because they are so deep in thought or the glazed over faces of those who have earbuds in listening to whatever noise they’ve chosen which keeps them from having to be cordial with anyone in their vacinity. The few who respond positively or smile back often make my day.
I do the exact same thing whenever something unexpected happens although I dwell on it alot more because even though I would get distracted by girl scout cookies (yummy tagalongs) I would still even up thinking about it
A smile is just an elims backwards.
I don’t know what I meant by that.
My thoughts were this sounds like me! I love to smile and think of it as an inexpensive way of paying forward. It causes a chain reaction of smiles, when you see that person smile back. The comment was not too crazy because as someone mentioned “Hi Sunshine!” is sort of like another way of reflecting that positive move. Lastly, love reference to the musical. My kids when younger liked Annie and attempted to sing “The sun will come up tomorrow…”
Annie taught me you’re never fully dressed without a smile and I wouldn’t want a stranger to see me naked).
EPIC..
Keep posting
How funny. If you keep smiling, then everyone will wonder what you’ve been up to…and there’s not a thing wrong with that
Maybe you just made him happy!
We don’t smile at strangers in New Jersey, because that’s how you die.
And how the Sopranos have I never asked you what your favorite Girl Scout cookie is?
Caramel delights. All day.
Nothing to take your mind off the threat of possible old-guy-eye-stalkage like girl’s scout cookies! My girls will be selling them soon and I dread being on of those door-to-door parents, but alas, I guess I will be. Gotta remember to wear my smile, too I suppose…
<—that's me practicing.
My Dad, resting above us, used to say that all the time! To me, to family and to complete strangers. “Hi there Sunshine” or “Hello Sunshine”…
Great post short and sweet, warm and funny. Plus the added bonus of a wonderful reminder…For me anyway.
I’m so glad this post made *you* smile! That means the world to me!
OMG I love this you are hilarious! Didn’t want a stranger to see you Naked. HA!
Thanks! I’m so glad!
Thin mints? Tell me you bought some thin mints!
Keep smiling!
I went with the caramel delights.
I love the Samoas and I heard they changed the name?!?! What?!?! I am too traumatized to even investigate.
They call them “caramel delights” here. And I know, I was traumatized too.
I liked it better when my cookies were huge, a little scary, and had amazing pig-roasts… wait, is this why they changed the name?
Great! (again)
Thank you very much!
He said that because he knew…there ain’t no sunshine when you’re gone. He wanted to bask.
Ha! I like what you did there.
This had me roaring with laughter!
Woohoo! Mission accomplished.
I think it depends if he had teeth or not.
He did have teeth. And a guitar.
Ooh, he had a guitar? This changes the game. Men with guitars have special privileges about being able to use words like ‘sunshine’ without undertones, as they have musical powers!
Aha! Good to know!
I read your story and all I saw was girl scout cookies… Sigh.
That’s pretty much where my mind went to as well…
1. Yes
2. Yes
3. If yes, then change #2. to no.
4. No, unless only men start responding, in which case you have to change #2. back to yes and make this one yes, too.
5. Probably.
Those were probably rhetorical questions in the first place, but good thoughts.
I love the answers! Answering rhetorical questions is one of my favorite things!
6. You should make smiling at strangers a regular practice, because it reminds everyone you pass that they are actually people – Instead of cogs in a machine.
There are two kinds of people that I generally remember more than 5 minutes:
The first group are the idiots from whom stupid radiates like rays of the sun.
The second group are the people who genuinely smile and radiate “niceness” toward me, for no other reason than we are both travelers on the road through life.
The first group far outnumber the second group. The second group makes the first group tolerable.
YES. Paladin is back!!! I missed you and your awesome comments!! And I promise to keep smiling because maybe one day I’ll smile at you.
Girl Scout Cookies… drool!!!
Exactly.
too funny!
Thank you!
OMG! It’s Girl Scout cookie season!?!?
All I know is there were cookies. Delicious cookies.
It’s Ok. Keep smiling. That way the world will be a better place!
You got it!
HAhaha. Too funny. Never know how nice is too nice when there are FREAKS out there!
Yesterday, I was waiting for my lunch order when some guy politely asked if he could join me. AFTER he sat down. Womp, womp!
Ha! I can’t believe that! Some people are so pushy!
Girl scout cookies. Yum!
My sentiments exactly.
If a pretty woman, who I did not know, smiled at me, I would assume she was flirting and was interested; it would be especially nice if I thought she was buying the box of Thin Mints for me
However, “Hi there sunshine.” was a lame pick-up line, and I doubt he would appreciate Thin Mints.
Are there people out there who don’t appreciate thin mints???
i think its number 3 & 5
You’re probably right.
“Never smile at a crocodile
No, you can’t get friendly with a crocodile
Don’t be taken in by his welcome grin
He’s imagining how well you’d fit within his skin.
Never smile at a crocodile,
Never dip your hat and stop to talk awhile,
Never run, walk away, say good-night, not good-day,
Clear the aisle but never smile at Mister Crocodile.”
-Peter Pan (also done by the Muppets, or so I’m led to believe).
Yay! I hadn’t thought about this in a long time- thanks for reminding me!
Why do they have to go on and ruin a friendly smile by opening their mouth? Just smile back and move on, buddy…
Ha! I think he was just being nice- although it did leave me a bit puzzled obviously…
just keep smiling and keep going:)
Done and done.
Definitely keep smiling! People desperately need your smile, whether they know it or not. We all need to encounter and witness – and give – more kindness in this world.
I think he was just being pleasant and nice, and just responding to you being pleasant and nice. If he didn’t turn around and follow you, then it was ok! I hope you’re feeling better today, also!
Thanks! I think you’re right, he was being nice. And I will keep smiling.
Lol! You sound like me! Except I would have taken it a step further and worried now the guy was stalking me and scolded myself for smiling at people at all.
I’m not going to lie- I did have that thought a little bit later…..
Nice
Keep smiling at people, it’s a nice thing to do and makes everyday life nicer.
And even if some people think the appropriate answer to a smile is a pick-up line, it still doesn’t negate all the niceness of a smile
You’re right- I will definitely keep smiling!