Smile please

I have started a new social experiment.

I smile.

At all people, ranging from highly familiar ones to total strangers. Of all ages.

I just give a friendly smile; though it might look like a snarl if you have my kind of canines.

I smile at home, at the gym, at the bus stop, in the bus, while alighting from the bus, on the way to railway station, at the station, in the train, while walking to office, at the office. On the way back, I do the same.

Sometimes, I smile all by myself.

Have I finally gone bonkers?

Quite the contrary.

I am studying people’s reactions and, so far, the results have been highly enlightening.

And entertaining.

I have the following observations:
1. Males almost never return a smile; unless they are in service industry like malls, cinema halls etc where they are trained to twist their mouths into a curve
2. Females almost never return a smile; even if they are a part of the service industry. Even if you feign interest in the highly unnecessary fashionably expensive anti-aging serum which would help her surpass her monthly sales quota. Or it might have something to do about my part-chain snatcher, part-werewolf looks.
3. Kids always smile back, if you are smiling genuinely. I guess an infant’s non-conceited brain can detect a fake one.
4. Old people do smile back and they might even strike a conversation.
5. Illiterate/semi-literate laborers and blue collared people are more likely to return a smile than white-collared workers
6. People whom you see pretty frequently (like at the gym, in the same train; at work place) will wait for you to smile, even if you had smiled at them before
7. More expensive the clothes, lesser are your chances of getting a smile
8. Foreigners are more likely to smile back; especially the Caucasians

I sincerely suggest you try this:
1. When you see a couple, smile at the person having the same gender as yours
2. Smile and frown at the same people, but on alternate days
3. Smile at people only once a day; keep changing the time
4. When someone returns a smile; stare as if you are looking through them. Or turn 180 degrees around; pretending to find out the person at whom the smiler smiled. Then turn around; if s/he is still smiling, flash your most tacky one.
5. In a crowded place, close your eyes and smile by yourself
6. Slight variation of (5): Look at someone, close your eyes and smile. Repeat
7. Do not smile at people with whom you regularly shared a smile
8. Smile more at people whom you regularly interact with but rarely care; bus conductors, auto drivers, watchmen, receptionists, waiters and the like.

You will be surprised at the reactions.