"don't talk"

"don't make eye contact with strangers"

"don't smile"

"don't tip more than you have to"

"don't ask the waitress her name"

"don't let yourself get ripped off"

"don't say please or thank you"

"just live your life

are people all that important anyway?"

"to most strangers,

you're just another featureless face

in the vast 

sea

of featureless faces

don't bother with standing out

don't be a face that's remembered"

this is what the world says.

but what if you defied every norm

and smiled and took out the airpods and laughed and complimented

and learned that the waitress is named Shari and she just got married

and enjoyed the people

as much as you enjoyed the world?