“Have you stopped to smile today?” asked the spray paint, a black scrawl against a white wall. I smiled before I knew it, half-sorry I did. It was not born of any real happiness, more a social imitation, a politeness, a mirroring of the simple smiley face punctuating the graffiti. The smile faded quickly, and I pushed the empty shopping cart on toward the trolly station. The rattle and din of the wheels and steel over uneven pavement ground against my senses with relentless noise until I was finally able to release my burden and wander back toward my car.
Smiled
Tale Told 