 |
| Image description: a pair of blue eyes, watching |
We were all headed over to the Royal Ontario Museum, Joe and I and Marissa along with Ruby and Sadie. We were not a very organized group as we walked, we never are. Sometimes Ruby was beside me, sometimes Sadie, sometimes Marissa, depending on who was saying what and on who was walking at what speed. The kids and their mom were going to a sleep over at the ROM and Joe and I were going along to help carry stuff. In my arms was a small carry all bag and looped over my arm was a child's back pack in the shape of a green dragon.
He walked by us. I noticed him because he seemed to be in such a rush. Therefore it shocked me that when he got about 6 feet ahead of us he turned to look at us. Not just me, all of us together. True his main focus seemed to be on me and the dragon out front, but his look was of utter curiosity more than hostility. Trust me, I recognize hostility.
When we got close to him he turned and sped away and then abruptly stopped and turned again. He stood there watching, this time for only a few seconds, looking at all of us and then finally his eyes resting on me and he seemed to take a good look at the dragon before turning had heading way up to the corner. I thought he'd gone. He hadn't.
As we approached the corner, he was there again, off to the side, sitting on a stair watching us as we went by. Like we were a small parade and he was the only one who showed up to watch. I had ignored him before, but this time I caught his eye. He nodded briefly, smiled, and got up and left, going the opposite way to where we were headed.
I don't know really what he was looking at. It was clear that he was looking at the group of us, together. It was clear he was looking at me in relationship to the people around me. It was also clear that he found something odd or fascinating about what he saw. I didn't at any point feel stared at, I felt simply watched, but I didn't feel particularly singled out, just noticed more. It was weird without being creepy.
It was the strangest thing.
Because you were being remarkable, as a person, as a group: something of note. As you said, a parade. Parades are self-confident.
ReplyDeleteAnd belonged there, as individuals and as a group. Just going about your business, child's backpack and all.
It shouldn't be necessary to note the lack of hostility - but unfortunately it still is.
You should have had flags and banners.
This is why I always take the high road when someone gawks at me: Intellectual challenges are caused by some combination of nature AND nurture, so, who am I to judge every gawker I notice.
ReplyDeleteThat is why I take the high road when people stare at me: Inside the jerkiest of jerks who stare, or utter rude words, is either a frontal lobe that will NEVER work properly, or a soul so tormented they can considered socially disabled. Either way, it is no reflection on me.
Through our kind words and actions of acceptance towards people who stare, we can make things better.
Well, you are qualified to make that distinction!
ReplyDelete