Holding my son's hand, we wandered aimlessly on the twilight street... The street was bustling with people of all ages, families and friends enjoying the occasional cool breeze that blew through the dusk, adding a rare sense of comfort to their hearts. We found a leisure bench under a tree and sat down together. My eyes followed the flow of people passing by in our field of vision, admiring the other scenery of the street under the twilight.
"Dad, look, are my shoes handsome or not?" Suddenly, my son lifted his foot and pointed at the new pair of shoes on it.
"Of course they're beautiful! How else would they be called new shoes!" I replied casually without even turning my head.
"Dad, look, your shoes are so dirty, they're not as beautiful as mine!" My son pointed at my shoes and looked at me with a humorous expression, as if comparing his new shoes with mine.
"Haha..." I couldn't help but laugh loudly. Indeed, my leather shoes seemed to have lost their luster, covered with dust, just like a mischievous child who played with mud and didn't wash his face.
"Liu Zherui, would you like to accompany Dad to get our shoes polished?" I said to my son. Anyway, there was nothing to do, so we might as well refresh the shoes.
So I took my son to a shoe-shining place by the street. The shoeshine person was a middle-aged woman, and from her demeanor, I guessed she must be someone who came from the countryside to make a living in the city. With deft movements, she washed the shoes with water, applied oil, and then brushed them vigorously. Gradually, my somewhat dirty leather shoes became shiny again, as if they had changed appearance.
The middle-aged woman was very talkative. From our conversation, I learned that she had only been here for a few days. She said she used to be in another city, but because there were too many shoe shiners there, and often due to the urban management inspections, she felt like a fugitive. So, she moved to this city.
Listening to her humorous and interesting words, I couldn't help but smile secretly. This middle-aged woman was very interesting, and every word she spoke blended with the simplicity and naturalness of country folk.
In no time, my shoes were renewed under her hands. I took out some money and handed it to her. She smiled brightly and gave me the change.
I got up from the seat, holding my son's hand, and slowly left the street side.
"Dad, why didn't you say thank you to the auntie?" My son suddenly asked, puzzled.
Faced with this sudden question from my son, I was caught off guard, and I stared at him blankly.
"Our school teacher says that when others help you, you should be polite and say thank you!" My son kept talking to me.
"I'm sorry..." It felt like I had done something wrong instantly, facing my son's eyes, I felt my face getting hot and burning.
"Dad, next time you must remember to say thank you, okay?" My son gently pulled my hand, as if reminding me.
"Hmm, Dad will definitely do that next time. Because you are Dad's good boy, and you should also have a good dad, right?" I gently stroked my son's little head.
I knew that I wasn't dealing with someone else, but my own little son. I never expected that such a detail that I usually paid no attention to would make me feel so helpless and ashamed when asked by my son.
Yes, in life, too often we demand how others should act, yet we often show inconsistent behavior ourselves. Sometimes, what seems to be an ordinary and simple sentence, a small action, brief and fleeting, may leave an unintentional impression on others, which becomes another kind of beautiful impression in one's heart.
I paid her to polish my shoes, which seems fair and natural. If I could express my gratitude after she finished polishing my shoes, perhaps that would reflect respect for others. People engage in different professions, but one thing is always equal: respect for them.
Respecting others is actually respecting oneself. Only when you learn to respect others can you deserve to be respected by others.
Thank you, son, for reminding me what respect for others means, and reminding myself that no matter when, never forget to say thank you to those around me who help me...