an elderly black man got on the bus this afternoon with the type of smile that nothing short of death or dismemberment could take away. who knows? maybe not even that. he sat across from me, and looked over at the beautiful black woman with her two beautiful black daughters sitting next to me, greeting them with a "hello, sisters." (i don't believe i've ever seen a black woman who wasn't beautiful.)

then he turned to me. "are you having a good day today?"

"i am," i said, unable to contain a grin in the presence of this seeming embodiment of joy. "are you?"

"oh, yeah! it's such a beautiful day today! i just came to spokane, and it's so beautiful up here! it's so beautiful!"

a girl beside me chuckled. "that was funny," she said. "that was real funny."

i guess some people are so attached to their cynicism that they will hold onto it through any onslaught of joy.