“Weary from a week’s worth of travel, we have one leg to go to be back in the land of kudzu and collards.
This morning, our shuttle to take us to the airport showed up and the driver loaded our bags and made the obligatory small talk.
“Where y’all coming from?” “Ireland”
“Where y’all heading?”
“Florida”
“Ah, I’m from Florida, place called Pensacola.”
Wait. WHAT.
We instantly found mutual friends, caught up on the local politics, and laughed about our odd little connection.
He had helped his uncle get home to Boston about three years ago, and just stayed.
“I like the snow. I like the history. I don’t like the below zero temps though.”
“People can be rude up here. Everyday I would see this same elderly lady on the bus in the morning. So one day I said, ‘Mornin’ ma’am, how are you, it’s gonna be a great day!’.
She replied, ‘Who said you could talk to me?’”
“But I wasn’t gonna give up like that. So each day for two weeks I said the same thing to her: “Mornin’ ma’am, how are you, it’s gonna be a great day!”
Each day her icy demeanor just got icier. Until one day she smiled and said, “Oh honey, I’m just wonderful.”
Now they are best buddies. Not just on the bus, but he shovels her walk, she brings him home cooked food, they go out to eat.
Come to find out, she a widow who lives alone and keeps her guard up. He’s also become friends with her daughter.
All because he wouldn’t take “Who said you could talk to me?” for an answer.
We joked that this is how the southerners will eventually take over.
I won’t say that this was the highlight of this trip, but it was up there.
And our sleeper agent, Alonzo McNeal, has been activated and is busy thawing out the Boston area.
Community Voice Stephen Davis
Retired Captain, Pensacola Police Department
Former Social Media Writer for Pensacola Police Department
President, Pensacola’s Finest Foundation
*Note from Local Pulse Editor: Stephen Davis is a part of our Community Voices. Community Voices is a group of Pensacola city dwellers that are making a difference in our city by sharing best practices, experiences, their perspective on impactful subjects, and contributing expertise. We will be introducing the full group of Community Voices on March 6th.
