P Sparks posted: Very good week, last week was. Actually ran into and (hopefully) learned >from 2 enlightened beings... Case #1. Bus stop, downtown. My starter had gone on the blink and I was taking the bus to school while waiting for my car to be fixed. Some old homeless man, reeking of El Dupreeness came stumbling up to me. He smiled a big, 5-toothed grin at me from out of his puckered, age and weather-weathered face. 'Heya buddy..` he managed... Nik: How ya doing? Enlightened homeless being: Nice boots you got on N: (glance down. Old pair of work boots. Steel toe. Left shoelace broke and tied where one of the metal ringlets had worn thru... Out in the cold, they *would* be rather nice...) Uh.. Thanks. EHB: Hey... That's a nice necklace you got on... What is it? N: (better give him the simple answer. His smell would make the rotound one's nose wrinkle!) A buddha EHB: Really? Wow! So.. You believe in buddha? (he breathed) N: (dear ghod... can odors be seen? again with the simple answer) Yes EHB: (starts to wonder off in a nearly incoherent stream of mumbles....) EHB: (*pause*.. turns and walks back to me) Ya know.. I know a lot about Buddha! N: *gasp* (not sure if from smell or the thought of it all) D-d-d Do tell? EHB: Yup! I've been 'buddha-ed' out of every place in this town! N: *wince... I deserved that*.. Hey buddhy, Follow me... Walked him to a diner accross the street. Put 7 bucks on the counter. Hey waitress.. Here's 1 buck for tip, the rest use to buy him whatever he likes, and give him the change, Ok? I bow at wisdom, no matter how simple or complex, wherever it can be found. Case #2: Larry Larry is mentally retarded and works at the supermarket where I work. He has been at Krogers for 9 1/2 years and works full time. His job is the shopping carts. Every week, 8 hours a day, 5 (or 6 days when we are busy) days a week. 49 weeks a year (but he visits us to be sure we're doing ok while he's on vacation). Larry running around the parking lot, collecting the carts before the wind blows them into a car and damages it... Never stops. Keeps peeking out the window while on lunch/break to make sure his replacement is keeping on top of things. Larry enjoys all of the holidays, and will come in 1/2 hour early to brouse the specialty/seasonal aisle. Every year, the day after Thanksgiving, he breaks out his santa suit. Running around the lot getting the carts with a 'Ho Ho Ho... Merry christmas!' to every customer he zooms past. He's been in The Blade (the newspaper) every year for the last 3 (or is it 4?) years. Always a photo of him hard at work. 2 years ago his bicycle was stolen from out front of the store while he was working. In less than 2 days, spare change from all the employees had bought him a replacement. He rides that bike to work every day (Yes, including when it's -20 and 12" of snow out)!! This morning, Larry came rushing thru the store, handing out Valentines Day cards to every employee he sees on a regular basis. Came in 1/2 hour earlier than usual (5:00 am... he clocks in to work at 6am) Had a whole stack of them for the regular customers, also. (One for Mrs Jones... One for Mr. Stewart, tho he usually comes in on Tuesdays....) Had a bag with extra cards and his crayons in case he forgot someone, or a customer came in on a different day than usual... Nearly every one was misspelled... but somehow.. That just seemed to make it all the better. I, in turn, share my card with the readers of this newsgroup. Image of Minnie Mouse... The words 'Let's Dance' underneath... Be calm `Nicki' :)