Inherited Stranger Babble

I remember being in the grocery store as a child and was really embarrassed when my mother would break out into conversation with check out lady.  I thought it odd that both of them would seem to enjoy each other as though they had been friends forever.

At that point I silently vowed to myself I would not be like her and embarrass my kids in public blabbing on about some such nonsense with a smile and then go my merry way.   I was very shy in school, rarely started the conversation first and was pegged as  stuck-up for it most the time.     

I have become.............. my mother.  

I'll pretty much break out in conversation with anyone who has the gumption to listen, and make a comment back.  I think I do this mainly to break the uncomfortable silence felt when two people are in such close proximity, or if someone is going to be asking me to dig into my purse to hand them my hard earned cash.  

Standing in front of the teller, the checker, the postal worker or any other stranger face to face causes me to spout out into some such prattle and break the silence, calming the nervous jitter creeping up my spine.

Elevators are squishy little places.  Oversized boxes big enough to hold several humans at a time, moving them up or down all the while never requiring them to change position while staring straight ahead to a closed double door.  

I often picture myself being in the Star Ship Enterprise, waiting to be transported to the captains deck and that crazy pah-shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh-T, sound going off just before doors part way for me to exit.  This eases the tension while being in such close proximity to a stranger who is also staring straight ahead waiting for the doors to open.

What an uncomfortable moment.  Where do you set your eyes?  Up at the numbers counting to your floor?  At your feet?  Do you play with your purse? Your cell phone?  Your lunch box or coffee mug?  Take a sip, that'll waste a couple seconds! If you look at the person next to you, a smile seems to need something to follow it.   That's a nice purse..........cute shoes.........has your floor been busy lately? Just as you start the convo, it's time to leave.

It's a different story if you know the person who got on with you or the person appears friendly or has an obvious something you'd want to start a conversation about! A new daddy carrying out the car seat and a number of full personal belonging bags and suitcases! Conversation is easier then!  Did you get a boy or a girl?  Are you ready for the long nights with a newborn?  Is this your first baby?  Those are easy victims for stranger-convo.  Running into new grandparents with the happy big brother or sister tagging along is rare. 

The ride to telemetry is shorter now having gone from the fifth floor to the third, so my time in the "vator" is less, but the discomfort comes in and settles right at the base of my neck when someone enters from another floor.

    

I was going down to the garden level for breakfast yesterday and this short, ponchy, well dressed woman entered at the first floor.  I don't like it when I get on and find out it's going up to the 6th floor when I wanted to go down so I asked her if she truly wanted to go "down" and she said she was and got in.

She stood just far enough away for comfort!  Right away I can feel my mom readying to sprout out of my neck and make herself comfortable through conversation with this woman.  I speak first.

    

Don't you think they should put t.v.'s in the doors, just so there is actually something to look at in cramped elevators!?....I laugh jokingly!  It'd make the ride less uncomfortable don't you think! 

Pudgy woman: It'd be kind of a waste....... she says and looks straight ahead at the door stopping the conversation cold. 

Silence........

The doors open to ground!          

Silence...........

We both get out.

That was stupid!  I felt worse than I had if I'd have just stayed quiet! 

Then she followed me right into the line-up for pancakes!  I turned around slightly to confirm it was her behind me pretending to look at someone else!  I had no desire to babble on to her this time,  and just stood there with my arms crossed waiting for breakfast.

I've been shy all my life and was pegged as stuck-up in high school never starting conversation first.  It was too embarrassing. It takes a lot for me to make the first move. But all the people I've made acquaintance with so far in this crazy life were strangers first.  So I don't think it so strange now to be like mom.