Multi-lingual

Life is interesting, and usually it seems to be the small stuff that makes it that way.

It was raining so hard this morning that I opted to take the bus rather than walk part of the way to school. Thankfully the bus pulled up just as I reached the stop. I got on and sat down on the second to last available seat. At the next stop, an small old man got on and took the last seat, directly across from me. He was at least 75, shabbily dressed with a kindly face. He was holding some folded up magazine advertisements in his hand.

The guy sitting just next to him look like a doctoral student or international fellow. He was reading a library book, and based on his glasses and clothes I assumed he was European.

The old guy started talking to the student. I couldn't make out what he was saying, but I got the idea that he was trying a few languages on his seat mate. The language they landed on was Italian. They chatted for awhile, and the student seemed a little taken aback by the old guy, maybe pleasantly surprised.

A few minutes later, the student gathered up his things to get off the bus. The old man held out one of the folded up advertisements. He had folded it into an origami crane. The student accepted it gratefully, said goodbye and stepped off the bus.

My stop was next, and as I started to stand to get off, the old guy greeted another passenger, a young Asian woman: "Nee how ma?"