I'll never forget this day for as long as I live.

I had been practising real estate for approximately 9 months. It was one of those days. I mean, really, really, one of those days. I had bought my clients lunch for probably the 8th Saturday in a row. I hadn't had a sale in months and I was debating my future as a real estate superstar in a big way. None of my 'Get Rich In Real Estate' courses had ever told me about this kind of a day, I can tell you that.

As I was driving home, I wallowed in pity as deep as the puddles by the side of the curb. The water was pouring down both my windshield and my cheeks. I had had about all I could take. Suddenly, a loud pop shattered the silence and I found myself pulling over to the side of the road. Of course. My car had a flat tire. Do ya' think I had the fortitude to prepare myself in advance and have a spare tire in the back?  No need to answer.

And even if I did, I decided that trying to change a spare tire would only lead to certain disaster. I am well aware of my limitations as an auto mechanic. I walked straight to the bus station and decided to bus it home and call a friend for help.

The bus was late, of course, and packed to the rafters with copious amounts of people who probably also got flat tires that day.  I've never seen a sorrier group of people in my life than the group that was huddles together on the ol' welfare wagon.  I climbed the two stairs, managing to slip on one, and had to pay $5.00 because I had no change.  Unfortunately, the only seat available was beside a young, mentally handicapped fellow who seemed insufferably happy. As packed as the bus was, no one had sat down beside the young man.  All the eyes were looking to me to see if I was going to give it a shot.  I was exhausted.  I had no choice. I sat down beside him.

I stared viciously at the floor, biting my lip til it bled and cursing my depressing day. Out of the corner of my eye I could see the handicapped boy trying to get my attention. He obviously wanted to chat, though I didn't think he could speak. I turned to him angrily, visually telling him to leave me alone.  He glanced away nervously. I turned back to my other friend, self pity. I wanted no part of the boy but self pity and I were getting along famously. I decided to stare at the ceiling. The floor had let me down but surely the ceiling would listen to my self absorbed torment.

The boy was refusing to give up, curse him. He was leaning dangerously close to me, smiling like one of the ten thousand variations of the insufferably happy emoticons that have taken over the internet. I turned to him again, frowning menacingly. He again turned away immediately but I could see he was refusing to give up, the happiness on his face picking a fight with me.

I stared straight ahead this time, desperately trying to ignore my peripheral vision and the infuriatingly happy human being beside me. But, to my absolute horror, I felt his waves of menacing merriment and enraging enchantment splash over my soul and snuff out my anger like water on a fading campfire. Though I fought against it with my best efforts, my mouth began to disobey me and my lips began to curl upward into the smallest of smiles. I fought back....but it was no use. He knew he had me. He knew it.

He started bouncing up and down like child on a trampoline for the first time. I slowly turned to him and smiled. "How are you?" I asked, "You had a good day, didn't you?". He didn't need to answer. He started patting my shoulder and showing me his backpack and all the things he was proud to have accomplished at school that day.

I looked around and noticed that more than a few people had been watching. Suddenly, that miserable bus was filled with some pretty happy people, smiling and chatting away.  Without question the best $5.00I have ever spent in my life.

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