Failed at the kindness
So I was in Hanoi for a week and I used to sit on the front step of the hotel and share my durries with everyone - the hotel manager was a gem and my smoking buddy. On the next step was one of those older than old ladies, bent to the shape of a number 7, and who also people watched, as I did. Bought brekkie off a lady every morning who would come round with her baskets and on the last day didn't really want to eat it.

So there I was, smoking with the manager, the two door opening dudes and several sundry characters from the hotel when I decided to offer my delicious brekkie to the number 7. Big smiles, holding out brekkie to her (in my naivety I thought being neighbours for the past week would have slightly endeared her to me) whence I was treated to an ear-pinning, eyebrow wilting, decibel shattering "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO", with palms up and a look of disgust that Dame Edna Everage would be hard-pressed to imitate.

Hotel manager and I looked at each other through the shockwave of sound, break out laughing (I could see him, not hear it) upon which I backed away to my step, lit up and had a post traumatic stress moment.

Thank you, number 7, for letting me know that kindness is all bullshit.
(boozehound is drinking your bar dry, Sat 11 Feb 2012, 9:59, Reply)