The Kindness of Strangers

The Kindness of Strangers

A large part of my life in acting entails observation. I enjoy observing so much that I do it 24/7/365.
Today, on a bus through Sunny, warm Southern France I observed the kindness of a stranger on the bus I was on. I was at the back of a semi empty bus listening to music on my phone, when the bus stopped on its usual route and let out and took on new passengers. I saw a beautiful small colorful shawl float back into the bus and land on the interior of the floor of the bus. An eagle eyed young man saw who it came from, quickly called out to it's owner outside. His calls went unanswered, so he leaped out of his bus chair, swiftly grabbed the beautiful shawl that laid bare on the dirty bus floor and ran recklessly out of the bus and caught up to the startled, but thankful shawl owner. He then smiled all the way back on the bus and casually got back into his seat on the bus. Happy that he had been able to return the shawl to it's owner and get back to his bus seat. At the time I remember thinking, cool, now if this guy doesn't get back in soon he is going to lose his bus.


We were the only men on that early morning bus. All of a sudden all the women on the bus began to clap and cheer the seated young man. I joined in the clapping and cheering, also taken by his noble, selfless act.
The women turned and looked at me and I just smiled. Hey, I got caught up in the Southern French drama, hehehehe. The bus driver got up thinking the young man had sneaked on the bus and that we were calling out to get him off. Someone, then explained what he had done and the bus driver sat back down and took off. Everyone of those women, young and old had the twinkle in their eyes for that young man's actions. As we rode down the winding coastal roads several young French ladies turned and gave me my very own eye twinkle for helping to praise the young French man's chivalrous action. I guess the age of Knights still exists along the blue Cote D'Azur. A great way to start an adventurous day. Enjoy!