The Wave Brigade

One thing I've noticed about where we live is that people do not wave to each other as much as they did in the old town.  Even in our new neighborhood, where there are few cars and therefore more chance to acknowledge those who pass you on the other side of the road, I've seen plenty of people drive by me, stone-faced, pretending they do not see me give a little wave or nod to them as we passed on a quiet country road.  


I'm not exactly sure why this is, but it may have something to do with the fact that many residents here are ex-pat Los Angelenos.  In Los Angeles, nobody waves as anyone.  Matter of fact, you can consider yourself lucky if no one shoots at you.  And lest you think I'm slamming LA with no real knowledge of it, that's not the case.  I lived there for the first 30 years of my life.


But here's the thing.  The people here are people who managed to somehow get out of the city and relocate to paradise.  I mean it.  And they must KNOW it, right?  That's why they left.  You'd think such an abundant blessing in their life would make them so grateful they'd want to blow kisses to their friends and neighbors ... even the ones they haven't met yet.  Instead, they seem like they took the blessing of being relocated north, into the seventh realm of Heaven, and simply brought their LA manners along with them.  "I'm here -- but who gives a shit if you are?" is what it says.


In case you're wondering if it's just on the road we see this, it's not.  People routinely jostle us out of the way in the grocery aisles, walking down the street, or in department stores.  They're either totally bullheaded or totally unconscious. It's almost as if they're in a dream where they are the only real person and everyone around them are shadows.  


So my husband and I have started the Wave Brigade.  Regardless of whether they wave back, we will smile and wave at our neighbors.  We will be polite in the shopping aisles, and we will let people turn in front of us if we can do so safely.  


It's gotta start somewhere.  Why not with a wave?