Up With People

I think I'm gonna get my New York City membership card revoked.

I'm just a little too friendly to strangers, and I take a little too much delight in the crowds I find myself in. Last night on the subway - on my way home from dinner with Doug Rees - I was sitting across from this little black girl and her mother. The little girl had the most beautiful skin I've ever seen on a child, and some of the prettiest brown eyes I've ever seen on anyone.

And I just got this silly grin on my face and stared into her eyes. And, of course, she was a child who had not yet learned that "normal" people don't stare back, so we had the longest eye contact I've ever had with anyone... even longer than I've had with some of my friends! I'm not much of an eye contact guy, truth be told. It's something I've noted about myself before, but never really commented on it.

I think it's no surprise to us all that I'm a man who's not always comfortable in his own skin, and there are myriad little tell-tale signs - and I think the whole eye-contact thing is one of them.

But that whole thing seems not to be true when I'm talking to children, or marveling at their beauty on a subway.

I loved that this little girl was just so fearless and just stared right back at me, singing the whole while. I smiled and gave her a little wave, and she just kept staring, but I saw the hint of a smile. And she eventually turned to her mom to continue her song.