it's what is on the inside that counts.

#1:

i take a seat on the bus next to a young gentleman around my age. he then plugs his earphones in their proper places and turns up his music, as i pull out my book to read. he turns up his volume to tune out the commotion around us. i recognize the song as a track off of arcade fire's newly released album. it took all of my might to not lean over and say, "great album, isn't it?" i even found myself too distracted to read my book, because i was coming up with multiple ways to share with him my thoughts on the album: like typing out a note on my notes app, because his music was so loud that there was no way that he was going to be able to hear me. and then i imagined how upset my fellow riders would be if i loudly stated this thought with him. then i arrived at my stop. and off to work i went.

#2:

this evening a customer entered my store. i did a double-take glance. i had seen this gentleman somewhere before. then i realized, i had just seen him on the street just hours before, while i wound my way through the streets of the downtown seattle maze. the only difference between seeing him now and just hours before was that he was wearing a different shirt. i remember this because i remember his shirt saying something odd. i almost told him that i had just seen him and that he was wearing a different shirt, but i soon realized that it would be creepy. 

needless to say, i think these are both examples of how i am getting better at thinking before i speak to strangers, which i think we can all agree that i need to improve. 

*also, have it be noted that i was not attracted to either gentleman, so i was not trying to come onto either one. i would have been very forthcoming if that was the case, but i really just have a problem with talking to strangers.