“Well you know what they say, put five hundred monkeys in a room and they’ll come up with Shakespeare”
The guy chatting to his friend on the train, I don’t think he thought this one through
There’s a young man who lives down my road. I often see him on my way into work and one my walk home. On the odd occasion I’ve been walking that bit of road in the middle of the day, I’ve seen him then too. He walks with his head hung low, slowly plodding one foot then the other, up and down towards the station and back again. I figure he must live in the halfway house on my road and they kick him out during the day. I always want to talk to him because it seems like a lonely life, but since he’s staring down at the floor I can’t catch his eye.
Anyway, today he was sitting in front of a house, in the driveway, on his knees, facing the building. His head hung low as always. Just kneeling there, long enough for me to walk up the road and past him without moving. It was worrying.
Word of the day – Eremiomania – abnormal interest in stillness
inkbiotic 
Say hello. I’ll bet his head will pop RIGHT up and he’ll look you in the eye.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Let us know how it works out. He may just need a smile and a little conversation every day to make his life better.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You never know what exactly rides him. Mental health problems, life stress or trying to contact papa Legba. …..
LikeLiked by 1 person
yes, very tru…wait! Papa who?
LikeLike
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papa_Legba
He is basically the voodoo spirit that is responsible for ways. Mainly for crossing from this world into the next, but also for the ways in the sense any transition.
I talked once to a dude, whom I saw often kneeling on the side of the path in a park similar like you described. He said that he did the ritual to persuade papa Legba to open for him certain doors.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s brilliant!
LikeLike
I wouldn’t have a clue what to do myself. That thin line between concern and interference – maybe just say hello next time you pass…
LikeLiked by 2 people
It’s not easy, because I have had a few problems in the past after making a friendly connection – once with a guy who became suddenly violent after weeks of casual friendliness. Once with a man who slashed his wrists with a broken bottle to try and get me to save him after we’d chatted a few times. So I tend to go cautiously.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hey, just a smile and Hello should be fine. Sometimes all we need is acknowledgement that we are not invisible. My department had a high retention rate just because managers smiled and said Hello toat employees when You don’t need to chat up or anything if you are not comfortable.
LikeLiked by 2 people
He looks at the ground and won’t see me smile. Hello might work, but it feels intrusive when he’s created such isolation around himself to break it. Like when you see someone in a cafe with their back turned reading a book, they want privacy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ohhhh! In that case, let’s drop it. ☺️ There are loads other things to worry about 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLike
A nod of your head and acknowledging his existence should be enough. Take it from there. Or not.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Unfortunately, he looks at the ground, his head hanging on his neck like twisted chewing gum. No way he’ll see me nod.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was going to suggest to say good morning loud enough for him to hear whether he is looking up or not. But seeing your track record for making acquaintances, I now say let nature take its course and hope the young man recovers from his slump on his own. You may want to, but you cant the world. 😢
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s true my track record is bad, I hate to see people sad or lonely, but there’s a limit to what I can do. This guy wasn’t about today. I’m going to leave him be, but if he ever looks like he needs contact, then I’ll say hello. 🙂
LikeLike
Good advice 👍
LikeLiked by 1 person
Say hello next time! Apart from you might make his day and as an extra he might give you more subjects for your blog!
LikeLiked by 1 person
😀 I have to admit, I do sometimes find myself thinking like that, but if it leads me to interact with the world and have the courage to speak to people, that’s a good thing. So long as I don’t start getting myself into trouble.
LikeLiked by 1 person