Regular readers of this blog as well as listeners to my Blessham Hall podcast and indeed viewers of my Stevenson Speaks videos will know, without me saying, that I have significant physical difficulties, especially when it comes to walking. This is due to the condition known as fibromyalgia. I won’t bore you with the details but if you do want to know more then check out all the aforementioned media platforms and you will be enlightened.

So with that in mind imagine my horror at having to take the car in for it’s M.O.T yesterday, plus a full compliment of new tyres, and having to walk home the whole mile from the service centre. For most a mere stroll, for me an exhaustive expedition along the lines of Scott or Livingstone.

But I set off on my mission with good cheer and optimism as, despite the prospect of a hefty bill for India rubber products, it was actually promising to be a good day on the home front. I won’t go into the whys and whatnots but let’s just say that I was in something akin to a good mood.

Thus, having deposited Zebedee (that’s the name of our car; don’t ask) at the garage I made my painful way slowly back through town and in the direction of our comfy home once more. It being Tuesday the market traders were setting up their stalls and wares (a lot of tat mostly) and the town centre was a bustling hive of activity.

Being in such a good mood I found myself smiling at the various traders and bidding them a hearty ‘Good morning’ as I shuffled/shambled/ambled/rambled by, rapidly running out of steam and starting to panic about whether or not I would make it home. I swear that to a man (and woman) I received no response.

Except…

Except for one old Asian gentleman who smiled broadly and cheerfully said ‘Morning!’ back to me.

Now, I may not be Sherlock Holmes, but there are four things I deduced about this chap.

1. He was old.

2. He was Asian.

3. He was male.

4. He was friendly.

He made all the smiling and helloing I’d done without yield all worth it. Just that little bit of human interaction made me feel a connection to my fellow man and for a brief moment helped me to forget about the pain in my legs. Ok, so yes, the traders were all busy setting up their stalls, I appreciate that. But what effort does it take to bid someone a good day. None! And it only takes a nano-second to do it. Plus, in business, politeness is a game-changer. I don’t want to buy my tat from a grumpy stall holder.

Maybe it was the fact that this gentleman was older and Asian that prompted his courtesy, I don’t know. One thing is certain, however, and that is we seem to be losing that peculiarly British art of greeting strangers.

I hope not though. It’s a simple pleasure in life that gives one a lift and can make the difference in feeling good or bad about how your day is going.

So, no matter how rough you’re having it, give someone a smile and a kind word. You never know, they may really need it just as much as you.

PS – The garage bill came to £534.00. Eek!!!