Have you ever met a totally intriguing stranger?

I am always out and about as the café scene is my thing. You know great coffee, cigars, chat, and chill music? I frequent a few of those that allow smoking (I know bad)... But not my point. I had always noticed this “grey haired guy” around the same cafes as me. He seemed very withdrawn and smoked almost compulsively. His hair is wild and grey and he sits very straight. My first thought was “he is poor, not well dressed and an obsessive compulsive disordered person”.

Well tonight we started chatting and he shared that he was a professor. He loved philosophy and studied it at University, but also took maths, Latin and Greek (classics). He took a degree in maths to better understand philosophy.

He told me he loved poetry because a few lines of a poem can change your whole life, it can create a pillar of strength to carry you through life and recited a few lines that he used often to get through difficult times. I just found it amazing in terms of how I first thought of him and my first impressions. Have you had any similar experiences I would love to hear?