SWEET LITTLE GRINNING STRANGER smile emoticon
Like all other standing passengers, I was trying to keep balanced 'cause to get a seat in public transport these days, is like a wish-come-true. There was an occupied seat beside me on which was sitting a mother with her yearling. She had a cute bonnet on her head with its lace tied to her neck. She looked warm on her mother's lap while me, a "cold-hands-and-feet-always" person, was yearning to reach home ASAP and curl up in my blanket. Suddenly I felt someone cradle my hand. It was warm. I looked down and there was that girl holding it with her soft warm fingers. Except, just in a jiffy, she threw my hand away saying it was cold (Aaachhu). I smirked and looked away. Approx two minutes later, she took the same hand she threw away in her hand and kissed it and gave me the most beautiful toothless grin I've ever seen to date. Ahh! that was heartwarming. She is barely a year old and she is yet to be taught by her parents not to talk or respond to strangers and there she was taking the chill off my hand, unknowingly. She doesn't even know me and probably by this time, she must have forgotten that she had held a stranger's hand and kissed it and made her feel warm inside and out. And I don't and can't complain too. What matters is the realization she brought me, that some days, sometimes, even a tiny gesture from a stranger wearies off your weariness and lightens up your day. You don't need to know who it is. You don't need to want to meet them again. But you just remember it as a happy moment of the day. I wanted to hug her tight, kiss her plump cheeks but the crowd won't allow any space to lean towards her so I ended up offering her a chocolate I had in my bag with a tinsy bit of reluctance for I was anxious if the mother will allow her to receive anything from a stranger. Luckily she did allow. I was all smiles on my way back. My hands had already gotten cold again but I felt warm inside. It was a warm evening. It was my sweet little grinning stranger !!!
