Hug Coupons*

Today while on the bus in my ever so slightly crazy city I happened to overhear a conversation going on between an older man and a high school student. The man was quizzing this girl all about what kids were really like now– if they take drugs and alcohol into the schools, and he counseled her to stay far away from it. At first I was taken aback as this was a complete stranger giving advice to a young girl and it seemed inappropriate as it was very obvious that they did not know each other. But then at the same time I thought, why is it inappropriate for an elderly gentleman to inquire about the youth of today, but to be brutally honest in doing so? Kids have really seemed to stray off the beaten path that even I followed as a child and are into things that I wasn’t even aware of until I was quite a bit older.

Anyway, the girl got off the bus a couple of stops before we reached the terminal so the man looked around the bus then decided to continue his conversation with me, and bluntly asked me: “So, do you think I’m a crazy old man who needs therapy?” to which I politely laughed and said no, and we carried on in casual conversation. He sized me up and told me that he didn’t think that I was shy either and proceeded to hand me a stack of yellow papers. The papers read:

Free HUG Coupon: This coupon is good for ONE FREE HUG from any co-operating adult friend. The divine love of GOD often manifests in the spiritual hugs.

He started telling me how he had been using the coupons and had received hugs from a couple of police officers and a bunch of nurses and doctors are the hospital, and that I should pass them around and ask for hugs. We pulled into the terminal and I then ran out the back door of the bus to avoid an awkward situation had he tried to redeem a Hug Coupon. So, now I have a stack of these Hug Coupons to pass out at my discretion. I think perhaps I’ll give them out as birthday gifts…. “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!! *HUG*”

Done and done. haha Oh… my crazy little city and all its old people.

Shop Girl*