The other day, I was on a crowded bus for an intercity commute, and was sat beside someone who was reading. So I got my book out and started reading as well. At the end of the trip I asked her what she was reading and what it was about, and added the associated series to my reading list. I also told her about my book. We parted ways and it made my day a little brighter. Does anyone have any similar stories of brief good encounters with other people?
So, I’ve been learning swing dancing over the last few months, and as a consequence, I’m meeting a lot of new people. There is a girl I had run into and danced with a couple of times at different events, but don’t know her name. She dances well, but often “takes a beat” for herself, throwing in her own footwork, which is fine, even if it is a bit awkward and causes me as lead to have to adapt. I am just there to have fun, and I want my partners to have fun as well. Anyhow, I ran into her at a dance the other day and got her out on the floor. As we’re dancing, I noticed that she never makes eye contact with me, and it occurred to me that this girl might be on the autism spectrum. Intrigued, I start wondering if I can get her to make eye contact, and notice that she is studiously avoiding looking at me when I am looking at her. Throughout the song, our eyes were in a game of pursuit and evasion. As the song is winding up, I pull her into a cuddle for a side-lean dip finale, and I put my face about 6 inches or so from hers. There was no avoiding my gaze, and we lock eyes with full-frontal contact. There was a microsecond of tension, and then we burst out laughing as the song ended. It made my day and I know it made hers.