The Nice Thing About Strangers
Creative Non-Fiction Short Stories. :) Travel, Oldsters, Love, and Compassion.
A Puzzle
A young man with a shark-tooth necklace, a skateboard, and a black wrist band sits in the Metro and stares into space. One stop later, he reaches into his backpack, hunting for some way to entertain himself for the next 20 minutes. He unearths a Rubik’s Cube as a not-so subtle way to get attention (though I am writing it down, aren’t I?). At the start, all of the colors on each side are perfectly in order. This is a feat I could only manage as a child when I took some of the stickers off and tried in vain to re-stick them in a better location. He begins to turn the sides, making clicking sounds as he works swiftly to rearrange the colors and move them back into alignment. The men and boys on the benches around him watch–perhaps hoping he will make a mistake or hoping he will master it. Their wishes are unclear, but there is certainly a deep interest in his handiwork.
After completing it with two hands, he is trying it again with one hand. He is learning this one. It takes more practice. He’s not moving smoothly through the order, struggling under the watchful eyes of his bored fellow passengers. So this is probably not a place for a new technique, to be humbled, to learn a new way of reaching a destination. After a flicker of humility, he goes back again to solving the puzzle with both hands, opting to be impressive until his exit.
–Budapest, Hungary
The Nice Thing About Strangers 
Oh my goodness:) wowser Paige. I love this entry! you truly took me back to the 80’s my girl with the cube:))))
Keith
Please, please, please be careful my honey with your travels in light of the dangers occurring abroad my dear Paige.
Love You, and your very smart and very well received work of unadulterated passion!
Keith
Thank you so much, Keith! I promise I will be careful, and grateful as I go. đŸ™‚ You be careful with the dangers at home. Look after yourself. We have a TamCon to attend!
Paige