SIMPLE SIGNS...OF AFFECTION

The Kiss
On a busy city street
Italy

We have a lot of window washers in our small Etruscan town, where I live in Perugia Italy.
There are foreigners coming from countries nearby, getting away from war-stricken countries, poor countries. They come here to get away and possibly to make some money. Of course finding jobs is near to impossible.
Many of the people, especially men, especially young ones, wash windows at stoplights. The other day I saw an unusual man, unusual in his attire and his long beard.
He wore a winter jacket, and yet it was not yet cold here. His beard was dark with much grey. He walked over to the car, with his window washer sponge in hand. I looked at him and was touched by his original appearance, something not common here in Perugia. I offered him one Euro, because of his warm expression. He smiled, he had no teeth (or few). He took the hand that had offered him a euro and gave my hand a kiss.
I smiled. He smiled.
I am sure the car behind me was totally confused, perhaps disgusted, that I would let this man kiss my hand.
I was delighted at his tenderness, his humanity, his being, the occasion to share that moment. And I am happy to share it all here with you.