kindness of strangers

[brightlotusmoon]

I received a wonderful compliment while waiting for the train at the Shady Grove station earlier this morning. I had decided to apply my makeup before leaving the house, instead of waiting until I got to work (cream foundation, dark red lipstick, black mascara, teal eyeliner, blue-gray eyeshadow).
A woman standing next to me turned to me and said, "I hope you don't mind me saying this, but you look very beautiful. Your makeup is flawless and you have such a look of serenity about you. And the sunlight is bringing out these amazing reddish gold highlights in your hair. Are those natural?"
I was stunned and thrilled. I thanked her happily and said that yes, they are my natural highlights. She said that I looked like a combination of two of her favorite television actresses -- Summer Glau and Morena Baccarin. "You know, from that show Firefly?" And I laughed and said that I was a Browncoat, and she laughed back and said that so was she, and she said that when I laughed I reminded her of how Jewel Staite played Kaylee. I thanked her enthusastically, saying how lovely those actresses all were, and how amazed I felt at being compared to them.
And by the time the train arrived, I was absolutely glowing; there was a skip in my step. Just as the train arrived, another woman came up to my companion, and they hugged and then shared a long kiss. I realized they were lovers, and smiled. The woman I'd been talking to turned to me and then asked her parter if I didn't look like River's and Inara's theoretical daughter with a dash of Kaylee, and her partner agreed, and we all smiled at each other. The woman who had talked to me said that she really just wanted to let me know how gorgeous I was, and that I should always remember it. She didn't often just say things like that to strangers, but she really felt like saying it to me.
And then the crowd surged, and we all waved goodbye to each other, having not even introduced ourselves; but that didn't matter. Nothing mattered except the things that wanted to be said.
We didn't go to the same car on the train, but I watched the two of them walk hand in hand onto the train, already deep in conversation. That smile was on my mouth for my entire trip. It's still there. I bet I'm even still glowing.

Comments

well

[officeninja.livejournal.com]

i still think you look like a poopie-head

nee-ner nee-ner nee-ner....!

Re: well

[brightlotusmoon.livejournal.com]

That's okay, you look like one too.

*blowing raspberries at you*

[sigma7.livejournal.com]

Aww, that's adorable, appropriate, and damned if it's not accurate, too. Just never thought of it that way, m'self.

Every time I'm ready to just give up on them, the human race somehow manages to surprise me.

[brightlotusmoon.livejournal.com]

Thank you for agreeing with the lady. *grin*

I often think that myself -- the random awesomeness of people on any given day (in groups or just individuals) reminds me that maybe the human race isn't so bad after all.

[wishkey.livejournal.com]

verrry cool experience!

...and, yeah, you do look like a blend of the two. But better!

[brightlotusmoon.livejournal.com]

Aww, you're sweet. :)

[satyrblade.livejournal.com]

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!

[neenjacowboy.livejournal.com]

You know, in your userpic, you really do have a lot of Inara about you! Personally, I think she's very beautiful (as are you!). I have two folders in my "My Pictures" folder ... "Guys" and "Girls" ... While there are about a million pics of guys, Morena Baccarin is one of the few in the "Girls" folder. ;)

That's gotta say something about how much I love her. ;)

[brightlotusmoon.livejournal.com]

*laughs* Well, that says something for Morena, then! *GRIN*

And thank you. Most people call my userpic "Renaissance" and "Pre-Raphaelite" and not yet has anyone compared it to a modern, living beauty; so yay!

When I first saw her as Inara, I honestly believed she was one of the most beautiful women in the world, ever. So being physically compared to her is a staggering compliment! I'm still trying to hunt down a lipstick that is the same dark red that she wore in Firefly. I think I'm getting close.

One of these days I want to meet the entire cast of the show, just to say I hung out with some of the prettiest people on the planet. I mean, look at Nathan Fillion and Sean Maher, am I right? *fans self*

[neenjacowboy.livejournal.com]

You are SO right... I guess it goes without saying that they've got their own spots in my "guys" folder. ;)

The closest I got to "meeting" them was during Comic-Con when they promoed serenity, and the whole cast (as well as Joss Whedon) showed up to speak about it. :D

Unfortunately, the mobs of people kept me from actually meeting them. But still. It was great. :D

[brightlotusmoon.livejournal.com]

Honey, if those two didn't have their own places in your folder, I'd be shocked. ;)

Hey, that's still awesome that you got to see them. It's not every day that it can happen. I remember being at my college graduation and trying not to freak out because James Earl Jones was doing the commencement speech (and getting a doctorate in Literature from my school). I never actually met him, but seeing him on the stage and hearing That Voice -- it was enough to blow my mind. He also gave a fantastic and memorable speech.

you know

[officeninja.livejournal.com]

he grew up with a horrible stutter, in 1987 he became the first receipent of the Annie Glenn Award "achieving distinction despite a communication disorder"

Re: you know

[brightlotusmoon.livejournal.com]

Yep, I knew that. It's one of the many reasons why he is so awesome. And to hear him speak, really speak, is amazing even more so because of that fact. His speech at my school got such thunderous roaring applause that nobody could hear anything else.

[whordorable.livejournal.com]

That's sweet. Thank you for sharing the experience. :]