Nice or....nice?

I'm a nice girl by nature. I like smiles, I like hugs, I like kind words. Living in a small town, kindness breeds here like bunnies in the underbrush of the thicket. Living in a small town for the past 9 months or so, my level of kindness has increased, though I have not been aware of it.

Until volunteering at MIFF this past weekend, that is. I spent most of the time chillin' in the box office, lending my smile and helpful phrases etc to people who wanted to know about the Mississauga Independent Film Festival, buy tickets, or buy tickets to the regular movies in the rest of the theatre.

My happy comments of "You can buy the tickets for that movie down at the concession stand, this weekend the box office is just for the Film Festival ticket sales," freaked people out because I was smiling at them and patiently explaining to them the situation at hand. Many times I had to repeat and repeat and repeat until my smile left and I said plainly "Go downstairs" and then they understood what was going on. My friends and Festival organizers merely laughed at me and told me to keep it simple and to not be so nice. Bark at them, if you will.

At once point, a lady came over to ask about the Hannah Montana movie, and while she was looking at the times, I smiled at her daughter and asked her how she was. The mom looked at me like I was a menacing crazy person and yanked her kid away.

Oh small town. How I love the environment of trust and friendship you foster. Big cities...just fathom the fear of friendly people ~ we are such terrorists!!! Look out!!! My smile is my secret weapon to soften your defences and then I will rule the world! Scary business...