Today's Happy Happenstance

I was sitting on the steps outside of Cherry on Top eating my froyo in the warmth of the setting sun just minding my own business and watching the people pass me by as I thought over life.  Today has given me some trouble and I wanted to be alone for a while and get some sugar in my blood.  As I was getting ready to leave my warm step a family passed by me with their freshly acquired cups of sweetness.  I thought nothing of it and went to throw away my empty cup and spoon.  Walking back down Green St. I kept my head down focused on ignoring a young guy who had been checking me out while having a smoke with his buddy.  Just as I passed by them I heard someone calling me and I immediately felt a little panicked, but when I looked up I breathed a sigh of relief.  It was the same family I had seen leaving Cherry on Top a few minutes before.  The following conversation made my day.

man - "Hey!  So how old are you?"

me to the man- *are-you-kidding-me-right-now-look*

man- "I think you're 17, but my wife thinks your 25."

me to the man's wife- *are-you-kidding-me-right-now-look*

wife- "No! It's just that...well.."

me- "Oh!  I'm 19."

man to his wife- "See!"  

man to me- "What school do you go to?"

me- "I'm not from around here.  I go to the University of Hawaii-Hilo.  I'm just here for the summer doing a research project at Caltech."

man- "I knew you were smart!  So you go to Caltech?"

me- "No.  I'm from Hawaii, but I'm doing a project in theoretical physics at Caltech this summer."

man- "See!  I told my wife you were smart.  When I saw you I just I knew you were smart!  I wanted to make sure I wasn't losing my judgement.  Good luck with everything!"

me- *wondering-how-anyone-looks-smart-eating-froyo-on-a-street-corner*  "Thank you!"


Perhaps it was just the way he said it, "I knew you were smart!"  He was just so certain and emphatic about it even though all he had seen me do was eat froyo on a step.  It really made me smile.