Nowadays

I did laundry today. When I went down to get the last of my things from the dryer, a couple sat and starred at the two washer machines. It turned out someone had stolen their laundry time (a social crime in any Swedish apartment building) and they were determined to catch the thief in the act of changing loads.
 
For my part, all my clothes are now clean. Everything I have sneezed, snuffled, and sweated in the last days are released from stinkiness and returned to their shelves or hangers. Perfect rows and pretty piles. Organized in color.
 
We are all anal about our things.

Whenever flu-season comes around, I am normally not concerned. First of all, I almost never get sick. Nock on wood - I know - but the truth is that I rarely catch things that go around. Maybe it's my exemplary lifestyle, maybe my extraordinary genes. Either way, I have always happily accepted the outcome. Maybe that is why I have never understood the hysteria around THE FLU. Judging by people who claim they have it, it's not much different than having a cold. And having a cold is not being sick. Not in my book.
 
But this flu-season has been a brutal eye opener. No longer will I be dumb folded in conversations about the flu. I also know the flu does not equal a cold. I have been enlightened. In the field of education, we call it learning by doing. 

Yesterday I run into Christina Gullin, a teacher I had in a couple of literature classes a year or so ago. I loved her, always sat at the front row of the classroom, as a child on Christmas, with twinkling eyes, and wanted more, More, MORE. I wanted to be like her, wanted her knowledge, her enthusiasm, her academic style, and her calmness.

When I needed to do my final presentation a little early - in order to make it over to the States in time to start school there - she worked out an alternative seminar for me. She was excited for me and interested in hearing about my plans.

I hadn't seen her in more than a year when I met her at school yesterday. Her face lit up when she saw me.

We spoke for a while. She asked a bunch about the States, about Marty and me, how we would work things out and what plans I have for the future. I got all warm inside. I couldn't believe she remembered and my business like that.

Then she gave me a hug.

A Hug!
 
How many college teachers hug their students? Maybe more of them should.
 

I was in the middle of making dinner when my door bell rang before. I don't know how it is for other people, but in my life it is very rare for someone to stop by just like that, at least someone I want to see. It is usually either Jehovah's Witnesses or The TV-People (agents from Sweden's public TV that track those down who do not pay the monthly fee - people like me). 
 
I had already built up a decent bit of irritation - for whoever it was that couldn't leave their fellow citizen alone a Saturday night - when I looked through the door hole. 
 
Outside stood my upstairs neighbor and his little son. I opened.
 
"Hi," my neighbor said smiling. "I just wanted you to know you've left your keys in the door." 

I heard myself thanking him and as I grabbed the bundle of keys, they walked on.
 
Tonight I learned that some people take the time to show respect to their fellow citizens. 

Even on a Saturday night.