in pursuit of happiness - tales from my hometown!

yesterday i spent the day in mountains climbing rocks over and over again and enjoying some stunning scenery that had been rare to my eyes. we started the day at 7:30 and finished. we had breakfast on the way up to the mountain and we had breakfast and so i ran out of small cash i had. after we finished, we headed back to Tehran and as any weekend, it was a disastrous traffic jam. quadruple or quintuple lines in one lane road! but none of so far told is what stroke me the most yesterday.
we only had some dates and few dried berries to eat whole day and we were getting overly hungry after so many climbs. we stopped to get some fresh walnuts and a couple of grilled corns. really a delicacy. i gave my friend the only 2000 toman bill i had and she had the same and she took off to the cart parked by the busiest road. i was sitting in the car that i noticed him. that guy embracing a bongo like precussion, singing to the beat of the drum. he had a fun face with glasses, quite thick, and dark skin. maybe from the sun, but most likely he had used some wax to resemble "Haji Firooz", which is is the traditional herald of the Iranian New Year Nowrooz season. wearing black make-up and a red costume, Haji Firuz sings and dances through the streets with percussions and other instruments spreading good cheer and the news of the coming New Year. he approached me in the car (not my car) and first thing he said: "why are yo not happy?" and started to sing for me. quite rhythmic and cheerful. he was waiting for a contribution from pennyless me. it was a moment too hard to bear. if i'd noticed him before i gave my bill to my friend, i would have spared it. i shamefully told him that i have no money, and i am sure he didn't believe me for obvious reason. so he went away and continued to cheerinfg up people for a small change or something. my friend gave me bag of fresh walnuts the only thing that i could later offer him and he accpeted that saying: "well that's better than nothing."
i am yet to keep his attitude and cheerfulness off of my mind.
i can only regret that i couldn't help him. i hope i get the chance to go there once again and help him a bit and maybe i can have a chat with him too. it seems he had lot for me to learn from.

how i wish i could retire today and not work or the rest of my life... i would have enjoyed it to the bones