I hope I have made a difference in your life

Some of this may come off as pretentious, and I no doubt am a little pretentious from time to time. I'm sure it pisses people off, and I don't even realize. Anyways... A story:

I was bobbing along Blackfoot Road towards the Backstreet, I was going to have a few beers with some friends and I thought that I should walk. The night was clear, crisp, and packed with an energy that I could not explain. Bob Marley's "Jammin" was keeping my steps in time, and putting a giant smile on my face. I walked with passion and conviction under the silent streetlights, and I felt that nothing could stop me. However, something did cross my path that I did find concerning.

Two shadows appeared a distance from myself, traveling in the opposite direction. I noticed stumbling, a case of beer, and a little red ember that the big one casually brought to his mouth. I inferred they were drunk, or had at least been drinking and I became a little concerned. Drunk people have a tendency to do two things: Make fools of themselves, and become violent. I have enough real world, and pop culture knowledge to know these things to be facts. I began weighing my odds as I approach the shadowy duo, and realize that instead of them being some university students coming home from a party, it was two first nations people.

The big one, a young man smoking a cigarette motions for me to stop. I bounce ideas back and forth in my head, deciding if I should stop and talk, or keep walking. This guy could spit in my face for a number of things, he could steal my wallet, but he could also be no different then myself. I stopped, slowly pulled my earphones out, and simply said "Hey", "Take out your iPod headphones and let me ask you a question" he replied.

"Can you see this girl here, serving you as a stewardess for Air Canada?" he asks, pointing to his shorter counterpart. I look his friend in the eyes and see thirty some years of potential balled up and ready to shoot out. I wonder why she didn't believe in herself, and if it was because there were too few people that did. I remember back to "Indian Reservations" that I have been to, I remember back to Bob Marley's inspiring words of perseverance and happiness.

I think about myself, and what I have learned since I have come to Lethbridge. I stupidly spout "I think that she, and anyone else can be whatever they want to be. They just need to believe in themselves" and the woman smiles. "She's in a place where she has no idea where she is going, her head is mixed up" her friend responds. The last thing I say of any importance or interest is "I know the feeling", we shake hands and go on our own way.

I placed my earphones back in and begin to drown out the silence. I really hope I have made a difference.

Labels: drunk, friendship, philosophy, summer