i've been thinking a lot about new yorkers.

and how people think of them as unfriendly and self-serving.

mostly, this is true. i can't lie.

but today, i was not an unfriendly new yorker. i was a nice new yorker.

when walking home from school i saw an elderly man trying to jiggle his walker out of the door. but he couldn't do both at the same time. so he'd move the walker a little and take a step. and i opened the door. i mean it seems like a pretty natural thing for someone to do. but he was pretty taken aback that i would do a thing like that. and was very delightfully surprised.

as i was patting myself on the back for helping a stranger. *pat pat* i was thinking. i should smile more. this environment is cool, but it's not the most inspiring of joy. it's pretty gray and smelly and windy and bleak.

i went to cvs to get detergent for mah clothez. and it was way more expensive than i would've guessed. so i went to the food store to check there. it was even more. so finally i decide to check walgreens. where, it was on sale! victory! and i get in line. but the detergent doesn't feel right. and a lady gets on line behind me. and i open the detergent and it seems to have been poured or something. there was definitely less than there should be. so i get out of line to go pick up another of the same kind to test the weight. and i picked up the heavier one. i go back in line and the lady, who didn't speak that much english, offered me my spot back. i declined saying i got out of line, and she said "but i knew you were there."

i let her go first. but the point is the kindness of strangers is always a touching thing. so go be nice to someone. it's definitely easier to be nicer in a smaller place. in new york, people will do anything not to acknowledge each other. homeless man on street? don't make eye contact. strangers on subway? don't get too close. that's a part of the way our culture is. we don't want things to make us feel uncomfortable.