dandelions (part two)

Downstairs, at the Whole Foods, there's this one security guard, he's pretty easy to pick out, he has "security" written on the back of his shirt. That and he's kind of scary looking. He's about 6'2", 195 and in his early fifties. He has grey-ish hair down to his shoulders, slicked back. He'd look as comfortable on the seat of a Harley as he would crushing the windpipe of a would be shoplifter. Basically, he is the opposite of your typical peace sign waving, hummus eating, Prius driving Whole Foods employee. I'm down there a few times a week, and I've never seen him smile. Until tonight...

   Rewind to my day. I had one of those days that would make just about anyone say, "it's one of those days." I could sit here and list all the things that made me feel anxious and sad and lonely and scared... but I won't. 

Instead, let me tell you what made everything alright...

   

   Back to the security guy. This evening, after a nightmare of a day, security guy and I shared the sidewalk for a bit. There he was, all 195 pounds of crime deterrence. There I was, as tall as his armpit, 125 pounds (barely), walking beside him in silence. A few steps away from my stairs, I notice his grocery bags and ask him what's in the bags. He lifts the smaller paper bag and says, "soup for me." Then he shows me the bag that was previously out of view on his opposite side, smiles and says, "flowers, for the old lady."

There it was. 

(I thought I had lost it somewhere between traffic, school, work, bills, rent, the past, the future, sadness, loneliness.)

As brilliant as the morning sun, in a brown paper grocery bag, filled with red and yellow chrysanthemums... I found my smile.

I'm still smiling.