Town Greeter

This morning I had one of those moments that I really like on the bus. I was sitting there with my music and my book making a little world in my head. I love those moments because I am surrounded by things that are beautiful to me regardless of the outside environment.
I thought to myself about how I was living outside of my present moment and that maybe I should take a break and observe people the way Bug does. In response the universe put a very angry man next to me. He had a crate that he slammed on the floor with newspaper in it. He took some of the newspaper and put it down on the seat and sat next to me looking at the time feverishly and occasionally making gestures I didn't understand with his hands. I was thinking about what might be the conflict he was feeling. I didn't really like this opening to the outside world but he reminded me of someone else.
When I lived in the north of Italy, I was surprised by the coldness of people. I always had this stereotype that Italian people were warm and friendly. A lot of them are but in the north people are more reserved until they know you. I would walk down the little streets of my tiny city, Seregno. The weather would be cold and the unsmiling faces would make everything seem a little greyer. There was this man that walked up and down the streets. He was the town "crazy" person. Every day make his rounds smiling at everyone and saying hello. It was a compulsive kind hello. He dressed in beautiful suits and just stuck to his greeting occupation. I used to think he was the only sane one. He wanted some human interaction and all he encountered was the winter of a society's busy obsession with nothing.
Today I thought of the man in Italy and wondered why the man next to me was so angry. Was he once a town greeter too?