A quirk of lips

Have you ever try to make people smile at you? I mean just smile at you without having to do any standup or slapstick comedy?

Sometimes I wonder why we Malaysian are too "shy" to smile at each other. One day, I was in a market, trying my best to figure what type of fish that was smacked on the metal counter in front of me. A makcik came beside me so I smiled at her but that makcik stared right through my smiling face. I was perplexed. Is it a crime to smile at people? I don't know. Why is it so easy for a mat salleh to smile and say hello at each other. Or how easily for a Melayu, Cina or India to smile at mat salleh and greet them good morning or day. So, why can't we do the same between us, Melayu, Cina and India and others?

I do wonder. Are we shy, embarassed or just too sombong?