The "Hi" Experiment

Today I decided, when I go out, I am going to smile and say "Hi" to everyone I see. I wanted to see the reactions and as a result come to a conclusion to this experiment. Thinking back, we were taught from a young age that greeting people was an acceptable social norm. When I walk around today, I am so absorbed with my own issues and thoughts that I realized I am neglecting the people I live and share oxygen with. I knew I was out of practice. As I got in my car, my sudden need to connect with my community became the 'driving' force.

I left the house to get my hair cut and had to stop by the local Shoppers Drug Mart to pick some toiletries. I walked in and immediately smiled and said "Hi" to the cosmetician. Trained in customer service, she replied in the same manner. I walked down the shampoo aisle and saw a girl, around the age of 17, looking at conditioners. I came up beside her, viewed the conditioner bottles, picked out one and turned to her. "Hi", I said. She looked up, hesitated and said "Hi" back in a very slow manner. I kept smiling and picked up my shampoo. I could see her eyeing me in a sidelong glance.

I proceeded to the candy rack and there was a gentleman looking at books nearby. I picked up my favourite candy bar, smiled and said "Hi". He looked behind him, thinking I was talking to someone else and realized I was addressing him. He raised one eyebrow and replied "Hi". And then he drew a slow smile...MEN.....that is all they can think about! Nevertheless, I kept smiling, walked over to the cashier and said "Hi"! She smiled back and returned the salutation. The gentleman was looking over the magazine rack with a perplexed look on his face trying hard to recognize me. I walked out of the store, determined to continue smiling and said "Hi" to the next person that walked by, an older Asian man, who took one look at me, spit on the sidewalk and proceeded to walk past. My smile started to fade but I kept walking, turned the corner and then went to cut my hair.

As I sat in the salon, I pondered my "Hi" experiment. My objective you ask? Is it more natural for some to smile and reply back or rather an obtrusive imposition on others to return the favour? In my experiment, all but one person replied back. But the issue was more in the way they greeted me. On my walks in the neighborhood, everyone I pass says "Hi" with a smile and a cheery disposition. Does the environment make a difference? Are people more entailed to greet others outside more than inside? Do interior quarters cause claustrophobic conditions in that when greeted, many are caught off guard? Is age a factor? Do old people become more friendly because they know their years on Earth are numbered? What the hell was the deciding factor?

As my hair fell to the ground in the salon, I tried to make heads or tails of my experiment. Perhaps I needed more participants, maybe I should have created an hypothesis before embarking on my experiment. Or there were too many uncontrolled variables....

When I left the salon, walking to my car, a woman parked next to me and opened her door. As I unlocked my door and looked up at her, she smiled and said "Hi". I was surprised at first, thinking I knew her, but realized this was her experiment. A warm smile spread across my face as I replied back.

Squeeze me?
Its not an experiment.
Its brotherly love.
Its humanity.

Smile and make someone's day.