neighbors

in Allston, i am on nodding terms with all the men i see sitting on stoops in the afternoon. we are beginning to move into speaking terms, entire sentences exchanged: "i like your haircut! could be better though."

"how are you today?"
"good, 'nyuhself?"

i never used to appreciate the "how are you" ritual, and i still don't in a lot of circumstances. i don't believe that words are worth exchanging without meaning. if you don't care how someone is that day, why would you ask? but now, it means something to me that these older black and latino men--these men who recognize the worth of words enough to withhold them--recognize me, a tiny white woman with a shaved head, enough to ask and to answer.

one saw me walking to the beer store on memorial day weekend, and we exchanged smiles and glances. then he saw me walking back from the beer store, with a 12-pack under one arm and a black plastic bag in the other, and he called out, "now i know why you're so happy!"
i smiled back and told him, "it's gonna be a good weekend!"
and it was.