‎A Smile That Lingered‎‎Speaking of Fine Men…‎‎Oh, by the way, I saw one yesterday, drop-dead gorgeous. But let me take you back to a certain afternoon, just after COVID-19, when something unforgettable happened at my mother’s shop.‎‎The afternoon sun slipped lazily into my mother’s shop, and I was lost in my phone when I heard it, the gentle clearing of a throat. I looked up, and for a moment, time seemed to pause.‎‎He stood there: tall, dark, and handsome, muscles sculpted just right, a flat tummy (and me wey nor get flat tummy sef, chai), and streaks of grey hair that made him look even more distinguished. He wore jean shorts and a polo, simple, casual, but unforgettable.‎‎"Good afternoon, young lady," he said with a smile that seemed to carry warmth. I smiled back politely as he picked up a few items. After I handed them to him and said, "thank you," he paused and looked straight at me.‎‎"You should smile more often," he said softly. "Your smile can make a gloomy day bright."‎‎Omo, lemme nor lie eh, my head swell that moment. My chest even sweet me.‎‎But he wasn’t done. He leaned in slightly, his voice calm but deliberate.‎"No, truly. You have a lovely smile. And your eyes, oh, they’re brown and beautiful. It’s like they’re speaking to my soul."‎‎Inside, I nearly rolled my eyes. Ha bros, calm down oh. How you take know the colour of my eyes so quickly? But if I’m honest, my heart skipped a little. Compliments have a way of catching you off guard, don’t they?‎‎Then came his offer:‎"I’m in town for a while. I’d like to be your friend, at least to show me around. Don’t worry, I won’t bite."‎‎It almost felt like a scene from a romance novel, the kind where the air shifts, and you wonder if it’s fate or just coincidence. But I steadied myself, took a deep breath, and politely said I wasn’t available.‎‎And this is where the story surprised me. He didn’t push. He didn’t try to convince me. He didn’t guilt-trip me or argue. Instead, he smiled once more and said words that have stayed with me:‎"No problem. Thanks for the audience. And please, keep smiling. The world needs a smile as bright as yours."‎‎Then he walked away. Just like that.‎‎I haven’t seen him since that day, but the memory lingers, soft, sweet, like a fleeting chapter of a love story that never got written.‎---‎💡 The Reflection‎‎That man’s maturity left me thinking. How many people today know how to respect boundaries like that? Too often, we jump, push, argue, or refuse to take no for an answer. But true strength, real maturity, is in knowing when to step back gracefully.‎‎To men: Respect a woman’s “no.” It doesn’t make you less of a man—it makes you honorable.‎‎To women: Learn to say no politely but firmly. Stand your ground if you’re not interested.

‎Sometimes, life gives us little encounters not for romance, but for lessons. And this one? It taught me that kindness and respect will always leave a longer-lasting impression than pressure or persistence.‎‎And so, though I’ve never seen him again, his words echo still:‎"Keep smiling. The world needs a smile as bright as yours."‎