Stranger yet friendly

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  • theCarlton
    theCarlton Posts: 1,344 Member
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    Always, all of them. I believe in creating a sense of community wherever I go, and it starts with a smile every time.
  • Buddhasmiracle
    Buddhasmiracle Posts: 925 Member
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    I take the NYC Subway to work, so not on the way to work ever.

    However, I always smile at all the strangers I meet in stores, I meet see at the mall, walking the office, walking in the street. I live in NJ and people don't ever expect it, LOL

    I lived and worked in Manhattan for many years, and took the subway. I smiled or nodded at strangers on the subway, mostly because with regular commute patterns you see the same people of the platform and hopping the same cars in the same doors. Kind of like family.

    I also lived in NJ and commuted on NJT into Manhattan. Strangers in town were friendly to one another, even at the DMV. NJT commuters were edgier than NYC subway commuters, maybe from paying such high property taxes.

    I moved to Charleston SC last year and my experience thus far is most strangers not only smile, but will strike up a conversation with you if you don't move quickly.
  • raaiindrops
    raaiindrops Posts: 134
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    Most of the cities have a set pattern........
    I take the NYC Subway to work, so not on the way to work ever.

    However, I always smile at all the strangers I meet in stores, I meet see at the mall, walking the office, walking in the street. I live in NJ and people don't ever expect it, LOL

    I lived and worked in Manhattan for many years, and took the subway. I smiled or nodded at strangers on the subway, mostly because with regular commute patterns you see the same people of the platform and hopping the same cars in the same doors. Kind of like family.

    I also lived in NJ and commuted on NJT into Manhattan. Strangers in town were friendly to one another, even at the DMV. NJT commuters were edgier than NYC subway commuters, maybe from paying such high property taxes.

    I moved to Charleston SC last year and my experience thus far is most strangers not only smile, but will strike up a conversation with you if you don't move quickly.
  • JenAndSome
    JenAndSome Posts: 1,893 Member
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    Unless it is someone who gives me a bad vibe, I usually do. I walk on my lunch hour and see several of the same people almost everyday. I also smile at some people who I've never seen before. It's kind of strange because I'm not really outgoing or overly social in any other way.
  • kelly101386
    kelly101386 Posts: 389 Member
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    I always smile at people, but some people can be miserable and look at me like I am the Devil or something. It's good when people respond though as I am always reminded of this poem:

    Smiling is infectious
    You catch it like the flu
    When someone smiled at me today
    I started smiling too
    I walked around the corner
    And someone saw me grin
    When he smiled I realised
    I had passed it on to him
    I thought about the smile
    And then realised its worth
    A single smile like mine
    Could travel round the earth
    So if you feel a smile begin
    Don't leave it undetected
    Start an epidemic
    And get the world infected.
  • Legs_McGee
    Legs_McGee Posts: 845 Member
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    I smile and say hello to everyone. Except this one chick I see at the track occasionally - she didn't return my friendly greeting so now I'm going to hunt her down.
  • raaiindrops
    raaiindrops Posts: 134
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    Like the poem. Really nice:bigsmile:
  • kelly101386
    kelly101386 Posts: 389 Member
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    Like the poem. Really nice:bigsmile:

    It's lovely isn't it, it was hung up in one of my class rooms back in high school. It may have been over ten years but I still think about it and that makes me smile. Life is too short to be miserable.
  • MostlyWater
    MostlyWater Posts: 4,294 Member
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    I pass the same lady every day on my way to exercise. Being that it's 6 am and dark out, i doubt she'd notice.
  • raaiindrops
    raaiindrops Posts: 134
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    May be she is also thinking the same way as you are thinking,


    I pass the same lady every day on my way to exercise. Being that it's 6 am and dark out, i doubt she'd notice.
  • Maryaly40
    Maryaly40 Posts: 551 Member
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    You're all very nice. I moved from Pennsylvania to New Jersey - in NJ people are mostly rude so I would find myself getting upset when I'd be overly nice and they weren't the same way back. Unfortunately, over time, I've been conditioned to only smile when someone smiles at me. ALSO sometimes guys assume a smile means you're interested - so I keep my head down! It's sad!

    Yea! A guy at my gym suddenly smiled at me so when I see him I started smiling a "hello smile" yesterday he stared into my eyes and tried to hold the gaze. I wasn't creeped out but I think he got the wrong idea about my smiles lol
  • Hellbent_Heidi
    Hellbent_Heidi Posts: 3,669 Member
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    Sometimes...but that habit can send the wrong message to crazies too...so I tend to do the polite nod more often (avoid extended eye contact, and keep moving). I do smile and say hello to 'regulars' at the gym though...
  • DainaLC
    DainaLC Posts: 18,937 Member
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    I'm from the south, we are born with the instinct to smile and wave at everyone! :flowerforyou:
  • wbandel
    wbandel Posts: 530 Member
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    I used to when I lived in Kansas, now that I've moved to Illinois I stand out like a weirdo if I smile or act polite.
  • amandapye78
    amandapye78 Posts: 820 Member
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    I smile at everyone I make eye contact with, sometimes they smile back and other times they look at me like I'm an ax murderer and run away, either way its fun
  • raaiindrops
    raaiindrops Posts: 134
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    Completely endorse your views @Argy

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