free your mind, free yourself

Here’s story of quickly crafting a high leverage plan, devasting perceptions. It’s not what you look like, it’s how you act like.

What do you do if you had a tough day? Well solution to that problem is highly personal, highly situational with a wide variety of solutions. For me, it’s could be snuggle up with Dad, or could be go for a walk and meet up with my buddies at the Dog Park. Or honestly, just say ‘tomorrow is another day.’

We walk through my Parque to our favorite outdoor bar. I can run around, do some people watching, usually other dogs there. The ‘tables’ are tree stumps closely spaced. Place is very cosmopolitan. Can strike up a conversation with a stranger easily from anywhere in the world easily.

Our next table neighbors a highly diverse bunch of ‘femininos joven’ Americanas.  Amongst their cackling, I heard something like “Look at Grey-haired guy, tiny dog.” They start laughing. I couldn’t understand their gossip, but could sense it wasn’t flattering towards us. One thing to get the stick from Colombianos, but ‘friendly fire’ from Americanas, well that’s a gut punch.

“Twink their leader looks like that girl from ‘Mod Squad,’ body is WNBA-ready and the ‘fro’ takes her from 6’1” to 6’5”  She’s holding court.”

“Man, I’m on the Metro saw some TODO PELIGRO going down. I’m in the train leaving the station and saw one dude smacking **** another dude wicked. You know how crowded it is at that station, a whole bunch looked on, did notihing to intervene, just watched the crime happen. There’s a term for that kind of behavior.”  Suddenly, all the energy at that table willowed, they didn’t know the term she was searching for.

So proxima, couldn’t help but hear the story telling. “Twink I think we can help them, this is our point of entry.”  We walk over, five feet, Dad hands me over to ‘Mod Squad’ and says “I believe you’re referring to the Genovese Effect.”

Milagro occurs.

Mod Squad face lights up and energy of the table restored. “That’s it! Thank you, come join us.”  It was like a scene from ‘The Breakfast Club.’ Bunch of misfits unite. The stories, revelry lasted deep into night.   At closing, we shared group hug, Mod Squad said …

“Small dog, grey-hair gringo, we wanted to hate you, now we love you.”

We didn’t say it but we felt the same way.

What we look like doesn’t define us. It’s what we act like that counts.