The Nice Thing About Strangers
Creative Non-Fiction Short Stories. :) Travel, Oldsters, Love, and Compassion.
Stay Fickle
Gazing at each other through their thick glasses, smoothing their sweaters, two little old ladies were at an age not to care, but still cared, vaguely–mostly about what they thought of each other. As they waited for their flight, seated near the gate and assessing their fellow passengers, they arranged their handbags securely in their laps. It became habit to feel one could be mugged at any moment.
The woman with larger glasses and a floral-print embroidered purse shrugged like a teenager as she bragged: “I used to walk six miles a week.”
“That’s so good for you.” The second woman nodded and touched her hair, not fully gray like her companion, still honey-colored in places. “Walking is very good for you.”
“Yes, but now he drives me everywhere.”
A blink, an elevation of volume,“Oh.That’s nice.”
“Yes, but I’ve put on weight.”
“Oh dear.” A blink, the suppression of a smile, “That’s not good.”
-JFK airport, New York
The Nice Thing About Strangers 