A simple hello

I've been walking to work more often since my moodling about Convenience vs. saving the planet (http://simplemoodlings.blogspot.com/2010/10/convenience-vs-saving-planet.html). For me, it's more pleasant to walk than drive anyday, though walking takes 35 minutes one way. It's even longer when the sidewalks are snowy and the path through the schoolyard of Vimy Ridge Academy is like a one-way mountain goat trail.

Unfortunately, as I walk, I often end up thinking about how unfriendly we urbanites have become. Where did we lose that little sign of civility known as "Hello"? Inevitably, I pass people on the streets, and I'm beginning to suspect that most of them think me a little strange for calling out a friendly, "Good morning." I try to greet everyone I pass, including the kids I overtake on their way to school, even if they have ipod cords running into their ears. Usually, I'll get a grudging "hi" back from the teenagers, but some of them keep plodding along, heads down, unreachable. I'm always delighted to meet one particular boy, maybe eleven years old, who greets me first. It's nice to see that some people are still inclined to smile and acknowledge a fellow traveller.

This morning I passed five people on my way to work, four of whom completely ignored my greetings. They had me wondering if perhaps they're unfriendly because of the shopping mall mentality that has taken over my city. No one greets a stranger at the mall unless they're trying to sell something, and I often get the feeling that when I salute people as I walk to work, they're ready to bolt the other way. Do they think I might ask something of them if they reply? Perhaps many of us have become skittish in our street civility because we've been approached by too many salespeople, telemarketers, panhandlers, petitioners, and politicians. But is that any reason to give up on simple courtesy?

As I reached my workplace, I came across a fellow shoveling the sidewalk in the schoolyard next door. After being ignored by the last four passersby, did I dare try again?

"Good morning," I called.

His face lit up. "Good morning! How are you?" he replied.

"I'm fine. And you?" I asked.

"I'm fine too. Isn't it a beautiful day?"

I stopped and looked across the chainlink fence at the one person who more than made up for the four-out-of-five who refused to respond. "It is definitely a beautiful day," I replied. Especially when a simple hello can make us both smile.