Imlebideli

On Saturday night, I was out puttering around with Dreama, and we stopped by the video shop to pick up some movies. It was a new video place, and we took a while walking around the aisles trying to figure out the way that the categories were divided, and where things were. We ended up disappointed; Dreama wanted the DVD of Three Kings but had to settle for the videotape; I wanted to finally see American Beauty but all 96 copies were already rented.

Disappointed, we left the store, and as we walked out into the foyer, a very small young woman, a dwarf, walked in. There was a young man who was also in the vestibule at the time, and the young woman addressed us all, asking if we were all familiar with the Pittsburgh area, because she was lost. The young man said “I’m not, really.” and kept walking out the door. Dreama and I indicated that we were, and asked the woman where she was trying to go.

She told us where she was heading, which was on the other side of town. We gave her directions, and landmarks to look for, and we all went on our way.

She really was the smallest adult person I’d ever seen. I don’t think that she was even three feet tall. Dreama said that she was Mini Me sized, but I’m not sure what that means.

Anyway, we all went out to the parking lot, and the young woman crossed to a Kia Sportage SSUV with Georgia license plates. I was shocked to watch her open the driver’s door and climb into the boostered driver’s seat. In the time that it took for her to get in and get arranged, we were able to get a good look at the other modifications made that allowed her to drive. It was all pretty cool, extended pedals and hand controls.

I guess it was a bit of an assumption on my part that someone of her diminished stature wouldn’t be able to drive themselves, but of course, I was shown to be wrong. I shouldn’t have been amazed by it, I guess, in retrospect, but I was. But it was more than that. It was her attitude that left me reeling.

There she was, late in the evening, lost in an unfamiliar city after having driven a long way, and she was so happy and bouncy and smiley that both Dreama and I were left smiling despite our disappointment in the store. She was just joyful. Pleasant. Nice to be around.

She wasn’t grumpy, despite the circumstance of her day, being lost is never fun — being told that you’re on the opposite side of a city than your destination (and that you’ve actually passed it and driven some fifteen miles out of your way) is grumpiness inducing for most people.

And she certainly didn’t act like she wanted to be pitied or given special treatment or attention because of her lack of height. She had none of that air of “I’m a victim” about her, she just was who she was, and doing what she was doing, and so what that she was 2’8″?

She was really cool. She made me re-evaluate my downer mood. She made me smile. She was a blessing.

It’s the random encounters that make life worthwhile.