The Smile Line

Me and H* play the smile game a lot. We smile at random people and see if they smile back. I know there is a city/country bias about the probability of a positive result but there is also a massive North/South divide.



I was in Milton Keynes** yesterday, I played the game really really hard (and I've been in training)...not a flicker, nada...well, except one suit but he was clearly just on the pull!


So what is it about southerners?!



Is it so hard to say good morning back to the stranger in the coffee line? Comment on the weather in the lift? Laugh with me about my parking ability when I know you watched me mount the curb? Or just bloody smile back when I smile a 'ah another human being in my proximity' smile?


I hadn't really thought seriously before about the 'Watford Gap' or how closely I lived to the 'Smile Line' but gee whizz it's time to take Rule No 6 a little further south.


In my extensive*** research I discovered that Ferrets, Whippets, And Flat Caps are actually To Blame For North-South divide but how did the south come to lose their smile?!

*"My Daughter and I" for the upper crust readers!
** Pippa you must be a Northerner living in the south!
***Quick hunt around Google