The Lovely Ones…

by Aaliyah Zahra, posted in Opinion

So last Friday I wrote a post on racism and how it is still well and alive in Australia. I promised I would be showcasing the other section of society.The lovely ones.

I used to volunteer at St. Vinnies during my school holidays. The lovely manager over there, Miss Kate, was a terrific conversationalist. She was friendly,lively and always complimented me for my style and the skirts I used to wear. She would ask me how my weekend was and would proceed to give reviews on the next best movie that she had watched or a restaurant she had gone to with her partner. I stopped volunteering two years ago but whenever I bump into her, she always greets me with her cheery smile and twinkly eyes and asks me if I am married yet.

lady-in-suit

Another great Australian that comes to mind is my classmate Jennifer. School year starts in February and we had arrived Australia early in April. By the time, I had enrolled into school it was mid-May and classes were in full swing. New country, new school, new people. It all seemed overwhelming to me. For the first few weeks I was that new kid who was all alone by herself, too shy to ask questions, too afraid to meet anyone’s eye. Then this boisterous, bumbling Jennifer came sat next to me and all changed. She introduced herself and I knew I liked her from the start. She had a cheerful and outgoing personality and she used to offer me with whatever snacks and treats she had (I had to refuse due to most of it being haram but she never got offended). I saw her recently working at the supermarket Aldi. She was too busy to look at customers but had she not been, I still wouldn’t have had the courage to walk over and say hi. (The weird thing with me is that, if it has been a while since I have seen you last, I will try to avoid rocking up to you for fear you might not recognise me or to avoid the awkwardness of Hey!!Remember me?? I tend to believe it’s because I am an introvert, my family thinks I am just weird).

Students and teacher working in lab classroom

Last semester I had to go to an exam at a venue (Melbourne Showgrounds) that I had never been before. I was already a jittery mess and the fact that I had to go to the unknown was getting me antsy. My older brother had accompanied along for moral support but he was as clueless as I was. The indecisive GPS was not really being of much help in calming me down as it keep displaying different routes each minute. We got off at Footscray and were waiting for the tram that would hopefully take us to our destination. As soon as the tram arrived, I hopped on and asked the tram driver if he would be leading us to Melbourne Showgrounds. He said he would be going along that way but I would have to change the tram and hop onto another one which would take us 2 stops down from there. This kind sir asked me to sit in front right behind his driver seat so that he would let me know when to get off. He assured me he wouldn’t forget. Right before our stop, he announced “Students wishing to go to Melbourne Showgrounds please disembark and board on Tram 52 to get there”. I don’t know who he was, but I sure will never forget him.I got to my exam hall 30 minutes before scheduled time and my frazzled nerves had calmed down considerably.

Tram driver

Such acts of kindness and support, I shall cherish forever. These are just a few examples of the lovely acts of random kindness that I was fortunate enough to receive. I hope that I can be such a person to someone someday.

***All images via Google Images. The tram driver pictured is NOT the tram driver who helped me and Miss Kate is not the model pictured above.

17 thoughts on “The Lovely Ones…”

    1. Noooo damn it!! I feel guilty now. Ok tell me the right way to say Hey to a long lost friend without it being an awkward encounter? Mine always always is cringe-worthy which is why I avoid such encounters altogether.
      So this one time I met a friend while I was off to uni. We hadn’t seen each other in a year. After asking each other the usual stuff (how have you been, whatcha upto?) the conversation started sinking. And then we just sat for 40 minutes waiting for our stop in silence coz we got nothing else to talk. It was awkward trust me. I know it doesn’t sound like it but it was. Then before our stops came, we exchanged numbers to keep in touch. Even though it has been two years and her number is hogging my phone memory space.
      Long story short, I wear sunglasses in public to avoid interactions.

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      1. The sunglasses trick is neat. I usually trip when I’m wearing more than two eyes. So I avoid them.
        But trust me, I’ve sat through my share of awkward silences. The trick is to be the one who initiates the awkward silence. For instance, say “Hi, how are you?” And when she replies, start your monosyllabic train of words until she stops speaking and wonders is there something wrong with her. I know it’s terrible, but it works, and you feel not so bad. 😀

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      2. Hahaha. Well when I started wearing sunnies, I hated it too coz everything was so dark but I prefer that over the awkward encounters anyday and now its like a breathing essential.I can’t go out without it. Just coz of people not coz of sun. And I hate it when it rains coz you can’t wear it without looking weird.
        I shall try your trick out. And knowing my friends, they will believe something is wrong with me. They will start asking if I had too much sugar or if I am high lol. But yeah next time they shall avoid me which will be the best thing ever so thanks.

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      4. The best way is to walk in the opposite direction without saying hi. Clearly the person is doing fine. I mean he or she is alive. So what’s the point in walking up to that person and saying the awkward hi, how have you been, oh you don’t remember me? I was in your taekwondo class and you almost broke my nose when the teacher paired us together?
        And trust me. I have died of awkward instances millions of times.

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      6. What a coincidence that I Just finished drafting a post on awkward moments that I shall be posting soon. The list is as long and I could probably write a book if I wanted to.
        Damn it. That title is good. I am worst at titles. And I always admire creative titles!!

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  3. It truly is amazing meeting people who treat you with such kindness. And to be honest mostly that they treat you as an ordinary person and not an odd ball lol.

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    1. Ikr?? I was walking to university one day and it started raining. I didn’t have an umbrella so I was shielding myself by my hands. Out of nowhere, this lady popped her umbrella upon me and walked me till my university. It was such a sweet and thoughtful gesture and I remember her in my prayers to this day.

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      1. The same thing happened to me once! I was on my way home with the bus and when I went off, it was raining cats and dogs and I had no umbrella. This Asian tourist girl shared her with mine all the way until our ways parted.

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