Back stories and Calligraphy

 

I dont know if many people do this, but I have always enjoyed giving random strangers back stories when I see them in a restaurant 

We were sitting in a cafe in Vienna (no, honestly..) and we saw a middle-aged couple in earnest and happy communion over the coffee and torte:

"They are both artists, and met through a shared love of Belgian medieval church paintings.." 

and the other older couple, more conventional but silverly happy:

"He was a priest but lost his vocation, and they met when she sold her software company to travel the world.."

What I like about back stories is that they warn you about making unimaginative assumptions about people. Now assumptions can be useful if you see someone running towards you with a stick, but in more boring times your assumptions can reveal how little credit you give to the lovely individuality of people. You don't really know what they feel, what they love nor what they have done in their lives.

I once spent an interesting Christmas lunch in a care home with a 97-year-old who had killed at least six people; all of whom had been flying Luftwaffe aircraft. You would not know it to look at him.

I also have my 'Calligraphy moment' to remind me not to make assumptions. Many years ago I was working at a publishers and was surprised and impressed by the beautifully calligraphed signs which told you which windows had to be kept closed or warned you of how hot the tap water was.

I decided to ask the caretaker who had made these beautiful works. 

"I did" he replied.

I had of course my own idea of what the artist would look like. But that was all in my head, as are most of our ideas about other people. They may be the convenient stereotype you imagine, or they may be totally different. You simply don't know.

So, to encourage your imagination, if nothing more, have a go at giving back stories to the strangers you see. Maybe the world will look a little wider.