Throughout my life, I have come across many colourful and intriguing people, I am sure everybody feels the same way. Yet, over the past couple of years, I appear to have become a 'Random-Stranger' magnet. I really do not know how I feel about this. There are times these strangers can; enchant me with their tales, show me a kindness (that is rare these days), frighten me, confuse me or just simply brighten my day.
These 'Random-Strangers' I have encountered or, rather, attracted, have had some small effect on my life, whether it was a lesson learnt or just a personal little story that struck a chord. I would like to Thank my 'Random-Strangers' for making my life just that little bit more interesting. There is no way I would ever be able to trace these guys down, but there is a chance that maybe, just maybe one day they will stumble upon my blog and see how their story lives in my life.
Let's start with a really positive one that only happened this past Monday....
Mr Williamson
A kind, talkative, old, Jamaican man, with a soft, absolutely awesome accent. He gave me £2 telling me to 'go buy 'rself a lot'o tickeet ma luv' ! I kindly declined, telling Mr Williamson, I did not play the lotto and I did not want to take his money. He took my hand and put the £2 coin in my palm saying, ' den buy 'rself a scratch car'd, ma deer!' He then hurried off. I took the £2, bought a scratch card that evening, and....I won nothing! But it was still a lovely little treat that was so kind and I definitely will never forget about. Thank you Mr Williamson!
This next one is more on the weird side, but I definitely learnt my lesson...
'Never stop when somebody asks you to take off their shoes'
Last Winter I was walking home from work, it was after midnight and it was incredibly cold. Head down and cruising as fast as my legs could manage, I hear a noise up ahead, I see a man, in an electronic wheelchair, waiting by the bus stop, alone. I continue forward, hoping that no communications will take place, but then...it happens....'Help, please help me!'. Of course, I go to his side and ask what is wrong and how can I help.
'Please take off my shoes.'
'What?!'
'They are hurting me!'
If you remember how this story starts, it's Winter, its in the minuses, its ice! This man is asking me to take his shoes off, which is ridiculous, but if he is in pain, what am I to do? After, much protesting from myself, I caved and knelt down on the brutal ice and took off his shoes. Then, again, another horrific request...
'Now, take off my socks.'
'Uhhhhh, no!'
He had overstepped the line, I was done. 'I am putting your shoes back on.' as I shoved them back on his feet, making sure the laces were nice and loose. I am not a quick-thinker, especially when I have to lie and I am put on the spot, so the question 'Where do you live?' equated in me revealing the truth and him conveniently, 'live in the same direction. We can go together.' Christ!
As he cruised along with his fancy, hi-tech wheelchair (those bad-boys go surprisingly quick!), he told me about his life, the more he spoke, the quicker I realised this guy had a mental disorder. To my relief, we approach the corner of my road, and he pipes up with,
'I have dropped something, we have to go back!'
'Uhhhhh, no!'
Again, my friend, overstepping the line and creeping me out more and more every second. What makes it even more suspect is that when I refused to go back with him he replied by saying 'it's ok, I will just leave it.' Clearly, a bullshitter. He then tries to get my name for Facebook and, luckily, I was quicker with my lie this time and made a speedy retreat, leaving him with 'Kelly Richats'.
After telling this story to my friend, Titch, she told me she had encountered this same man and had also had an incredibly strange time. I have seen him since, cruising through Leicester City on his hi-tech wheelchair, he will never be forgotten in my memories of the randoms. He taught me the importance of knowing 'when the situation is getting too weird' and 'quick-thinking' ! Thank you 'Take-my-shoes-off-wheelchair-man'!
George
I was strolling along into town, last week, headphones in, music blaring, when a young gentleman caught my attention. I removed my tunes and got ready for the unexpected. The gentleman introduced himself as George
and explained that he has a blog (edgeindustrialphotography) and he is doing a piece on 'style from the street'. He is a photographer and he showed me his blog and some of his photos. I was really impressed and highly interested, as I, obviously, have just started a blog of my own. He asked if he could take some photos of me and ask me a few questions. I said, 'Why not?'. I think I look terrible in the pictures and that's not due to George's photography, it's due to me just literally looking awful. I am keen to see how it turns out on the blog, I hope George can work some magic and make me look a little pretty. It was a rather random situation overall, but it really did give me an ego boost and I felt a little more self-confident after it. So, Thank You George, for building my confidence that day and I will definitely be following your blog, as I hope you will mine.
that
No comments:
Post a Comment