Do you usually give a smile to a stranger?
By jhoana_joey
@jhoana_joey (616)
Philippines
January 12, 2008 10:27pm CST
The day before yesterday my friend and I went to a bookstore, wherein we saw this man (I'm not sure if his Indian or Pakistani), we then went to a beauty shop, the man then approached me and said hello. I don't usually give a smile or greet a stranger but just to get rid of him It was so stupid of me to respond to his greeting and smiled back at him. Late for me to realized that it gave him an interpretation that I'm into him. He then gave me a folded piece of paper, then I've realized he's probably mistaken me as an easy to get girl. Then I gave him back the paper without reading what's on it and told him "NO" then he immediately get out my way. I told my friend what happened and she informed me that it is not unsual thing to that place and that the man thought I am a cheap girl. So I promise to myself never ever smiled back to a stranger.
3 people like this
16 responses
@secretbear (19448)
• Philippines
13 Jan 08
wow. that must have been annoying and humiliating. if i were in your place i would have crushed the paper without reading it and throw it right before that darn stranger's eyes. ^__^;;
i'm not really friendly with strangers so i don't give them a smile even the slightest of smiles. especially those with faces that you can't really trust just by one look at it. ^__^;; but on some situations where i have to interact with a stranger, like i drop something and that stranger picked it up for me, i would smile and say thanks. or the other way around. ^__^
@secretbear (19448)
• Philippines
20 Jan 08
not exactly throw it to his face. crush the paper in front of him and throw the paper into the trash right before his eyes. ^__^;;
1 person likes this
@jhoana_joey (616)
• Philippines
14 Jan 08
yeah you are right, I actually felt humiliated but I'm afraid to crushed the paper and threw it to his face, to avoid conflict I just gave back the paper to him. wheeeww I wish I could be that brave as you LOL. Thanks for responding. Happy posting!
2 people like this
@jhoana_joey (616)
• Philippines
22 Jan 08
Yeah we should be more cautious in talking with the strangers. Thanks for responding nengs. God Bless.
1 person likes this
@myRose57 (153)
• Philippines
20 Jan 08
I smile at strangers if I see theres a reason to smile at. Mostly I do not because it might be misinterpreted just like what happened to you. Let's offer our smile to someone in need of cheering up, like sad old people alone, or children who are sad for one reason or another, and our friends who we see or bump into. I will try smiling often to people I am familiar with or have been acquainted or even to people who dislikes me and whom i dislike... Smile!
@jhoana_joey (616)
• Philippines
21 Jan 08
I agree with you myRose! It's good to give your smile to people you are familiar with or have been acquainted before. Thanks for responding.
1 person likes this
@honeylore23 (1081)
• United States
13 Jan 08
Well, it depends upon to how stranger looks like and to what impression I got into him/her just by looking. If I find him /her nice approachable and friendly, then I would maybe smile at her, but if I find her the opposite of what I have mentioned above then I will just past without noticing that guy. But sometimes, we make wrong judgment and impression just by looking a stranger so most of the time, i just prefer to wait a stranger smile on me, then that is the time, I smile him/her back. Anyway smiling is much better than frowning, frowning will add wrinkles to your face, where as smiling will make you more younger ;-)
1 person likes this
@jhoana_joey (616)
• Philippines
14 Jan 08
Ahh ohhh, I don't like wrinkles!!! LOL Well said honeylore. Thanks for responding.
1 person likes this
@jhoana_joey (616)
• Philippines
14 Jan 08
I caught myself laughing at your statement " what the heck give him a smile!" LOL. Thanks for responding multimum!
1 person likes this
@seaymartin (18)
• United States
14 Jan 08
I wouldn't let someone giving you a slip of paper determine whether or not you smile at a stranger. You shouldn't automatically assume that the guy thought you were a cheap girl. Although more then likely he was giving you his number, you should take that as a compliment despite the fact of it being extremely blunt. But living a life without regrets is living it the way you want to, not how someone else wants you to.
1 person likes this
@jhoana_joey (616)
• Philippines
14 Jan 08
At first I didn't thought that giving a smile is a dangerous thing to do. I assumed that he mistaken me for being a cheap girl because my friend who happens to be familiar with the place informed me that it is a usual thing in that place, wherein a guy will ask you for a night and pay you. I'm not sure if I should be flattered and will take that as a compliment. Thanks for responding. Have a happy mylotting!
1 person likes this
@jhoana_joey (616)
• Philippines
14 Jan 08
Girls should be more cautious in giving smiles to a stranger. Thanks for responding balasri. Happy mylotting!
1 person likes this
@raijin (10345)
• Philippines
13 Jan 08
I guess it's not hard for me to put out a smile, I don't worry about them as I'm a guy!LoL
I always put out a smile for everyone, since also excercises my jawbones!;) But I make sure that I just put on a plain and simple smile, to avoid being misundertood or misinterpreted by others..
1 person likes this
@jhoana_joey (616)
• Philippines
13 Jan 08
It's actually a wonderful thing to smile at all times but just somehow and sometime scary if it will be misinterpreted. Thanks for sharing your idea raijin. Happy mylotting!
2 people like this
@eyewitness (1575)
• Netherlands
13 Jan 08
i do smile at strangers sometimes but they're mostly old people like grandpa's and grandma's or people i know who're to be trusted.
But some places you have to watch your back for people like the man you met.
1 person likes this
@jhoana_joey (616)
• Philippines
14 Jan 08
Next time I will be more cautious. Thanks for responding eyewitness. Happy mylotting!
1 person likes this
@glitzypurple (1477)
• Philippines
13 Jan 08
It's not easy for me to smile back at strangers. When one does that I just start wondering if I know that person or not or just being friendly.
1 person likes this
@jhoana_joey (616)
• Philippines
14 Jan 08
Same with me glitzypurple, sometimes I find myself wondering if I know that person and If I will return the smile but if I won't then I that person might think I'm a snab. Thanks for responding. Have a nice day!
1 person likes this
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
13 Jan 08
I wouldn't go that far with not smiling because it makes the world an unfriendly place. I would have to say though that I wouldn't exactly smile with my eyes but maybe a little with my mouth but not a lot to let the person know that I'm a strong woman so therefore don't approach me unless it's something important.
1 person likes this
@jhoana_joey (616)
• Philippines
13 Jan 08
You have a point there, it's not nice to live in an unfriendly place. I will take your idea I will learn how to smile with my eyes but a little with my mouth. Thanks for sharing.
2 people like this
@mackoy1408 (163)
•
13 Jan 08
Yeah..because i do believe giving a smile gives a person of u a good impression and besides smiling can keep u young.
1 person likes this
@jhoana_joey (616)
• Philippines
14 Jan 08
I agree that smiling can keep you young and that it's a nice way to brighten up somebody's day but we also need to be more cautious in smiling to someone you just met. Thanks for responding.
1 person likes this
@tatiriera (5)
• Brazil
13 Jan 08
Smile is good for health, it's better to give than to receive
1 person likes this
@jhoana_joey (616)
• Philippines
14 Jan 08
I agree smile is good for health, I wanted to say "keep on smiling" but we also have to be more cautious in giving it to a stranger. Thanks for responding tatiriera. Happy posting!
1 person likes this
@dinhquanghuy (647)
• Vietnam
17 Mar 08
It may not a good memory but with me ,I alway smile with strangers .The smile can break the wall between us and make us become friends .The smile of a girl to me when I go to university make me feel warm .So u try to smile to strangers .They are not alway bad .try to smile with another one
@jhoana_joey (616)
• Philippines
18 Mar 08
You are right smiling to strangers will not always be misunderstood and will not always lead to a shameful situation.
Thanks for responding. God Bless!
@jhoana_joey (616)
• Philippines
17 Mar 08
you've a point there... smiling to people you knew or met atleast once will save you from being misinterpreted by others.
thanks for responding.
@metal_monkee (930)
• Philippines
11 Mar 08
im wondering is that man a saleman? probably so, i remember i once go to a bookstore, then a man handed me a flyer saying free gift and later realized he is offering me his products...anyways maybe not, but i think what you did was right... i salute u lolz ^_^
@jhoana_joey (616)
• Philippines
11 Mar 08
I'm not sure if he's a salesman. If its a free gift from the bookstore I'll definitely get it LOL. I also believe that I did the right thing.
Thanks for responding metal_monkee ^-^. Take care.
