30 Day Letter Challenge [tumblr]

Day 06: A Stranger

Hello Stranger,

Our worlds collided for the briefest of moments a few days ago but I’m still thinking about it now. Don’t get me wrong – the way this happened has happened many times before, but I’m in a period of self-reflection now, and I’ve been wondering, for the past few days, what sort of an impression I left on you. Do you still remember me? What do you think of me? Could you be, at this precise moment, thinking about our chance encounter? Who knows...

So, about two days ago, I was walking along the street. Talking to myself. It’s strange, actually. I haven’t been really alone in a long time so I haven’t talked to myself properly in a while. But you don’t know this. And of course, you wouldn’t care anyway. But anyway, I was walking along the street, zoned out, talking to myself, when I inadvertently walked into a stream of gnats. And subsequently proceeded to windmill my arms about and spit out the few that had managed to invade my mouth. Ew. You, chilling in your white van at the red traffic lights, witnessed this hilarious moment and giggled to yourself, somehow managing to catch my eye. You smiled and waved at me, and then drove off as the lights turned green. I was left thinking – for lack of a more sophisticated phrase –What the hell?!

You wouldn’t know this, but the fact that you smiled at me completely shocked me. Who sees a person talking to herself and doesn’t immediately assume that she’s crazy?! I mean, I was alone. And the way I talk to myself is pretty creepy, believe you me. So, stranger, my question to you is this: why were you not creeped out by me? Are you yourself crazy as well, or do you have experience with insane people like me? What did you think of me? Did the fact that I swallowed some insects overshadow the abnormal habit I was engaging in?

I wonder sometimes if people see can easily see past my appearance, my ethnicity, my race, into my my head and my heart. Do I look like a decent, nice person? Do I seem like a stupid or ignorant person? And I know this question is vain but we all possess some modicum of this quality deep down inside: Do I look pretty to you?

I think it’s safe to say that I’ll never know what impression you, and other strangers I meet, garner upon your first sight of me. Maybe that’s a good thing.

Yours,

An Even Stranger Person