Life's little surprises

Today I was doing my typical long ride into work. I was heading over the 12th street bridge on my way up to PacMed. The bike riders usually head up the bridge's cross walk as it's plenty big to handle both pedestrians and riders together. Except when riding past light poles. Then there's only room for either one rider or one walker. There was a older Asian gentleman walking down as I was riding up. One of us would have to wait for the other to pass the nearest light pole. I figured the walker would walk around the backside of the pole (narrow but doable) so that I could pass unhindered. So, I didn't slow at all--just kept plugging away up the incline of bridge deck. But to my surprise, the gentleman stopped right before the pole to let me pass. "Well, that's mighty friendly of him," I thought. So, as I usually do when people let me by, I put my hand up in a quick wave to extend thanks. He looked at me ever so briefly and then bowed. And then continued on his way.

I've been biking since I was about 7 years old. I've never experienced that level of courteousness out on the road. Just when you think the world has gone to hell, such a little event of civility restores all hope.