Today, I walked through town, in brilliant weather. The first warm and beautiful Sunday morning.
And I observed people. I love doing that. I always learn more that I can use for my stories or characters. And I always give people at least some of my attention, if not all of it.
Many women smiled back at me. Some even greeted me, even though I didn’t know them.
Men were different. Some were drinking this early. Some were loitering and standing in the way of other pedestrians, oblivious to the fact. Some leered. Some were kind and smiled, too.
It was fascinating.
My impression:
More women are aware of their surroundings and the people around them than men. The women also react much more to what’s going on around them. Could be a survival instinct, even though women rarely get harassed in Germany. (No cat-calling.) That really is just an assumption.
Men seem to be more centered in themselves, to the point of being oblivious of who is walking near them. I don’t know if that’s true. I’m a woman. (Let me know if you have thoughts about that in a comment.) But men are definitely just as capable of smiling and reacting to someone as women are.
And a part of me would like to take this into a fantasy world and twist it. Not sure how. Just wanting to play with this and make readers share in my awareness.
