You know that crazy lady who talks to strangers in the line at the grocery store? Or in the laundromat?
I'm married to her.
Wife has this tendency to make comments to folks she doesn't know. Many times, it is unintentionally the wrong thing.
Case in point, we had to do laundry this weekend. And we're nearly done when this Hispanic gentleman walks to a dryer near the ones we're using and starts taking his clothes out. Wife starts talking to him, saying "Show me your grill."
Hispanic guy looks confused. Wife starts pointing to her teeth and keeps saying, "Your grill. Show me your grill." She's doing this in a friendly manner. Hispanic guy doesn't understand and is smiling politely but you can see the look of fear in his eyes.
As quick as I can I try to get to her. To stop her. And I say quietly, "Honey, he doesn't have a grill, he has dental work cause his teeth are messed up."
By the time I get there she has realized this too. Now, this is not an isolated incident. In her defense it's remnants of her time as a polite southerner. And often she does strike up a nice brief conversation with someone that leaves both her and them smiling. Just as often she keeps the conversation going a little too long or she puts her foot in her mouth, to use a cliche.
Also in the interest of full disclosure I hate talking to strangers and most of the time don't want them talking to me. Sure, I'll often try to be polite, but as I've established in previous posts, I'm a jerk. And where I come usually we don't mess around in other people's business and don't want them messing around in ours.
What makes Wife's behavior that much odder is that she talks to strangers but hates a large chunk of the people she knows well. Go figure.
Me, I think you save a lot of time if you just avoid people from the start. That way you don't have to invest the effort later to pretend to be nice to them.
Albino Alligator
About Me
- Professor Matthew
- I'm a Professor at a small college where I put the Liberal in Liberal Arts. I teach Media Studies. So I get paid to watch movies and play video games and discuss their cultural significance. I love my wife. I love riding motorscooters and motorcycles. I love our pets. I'm sarcastic to the point of being almost caustic at times.
2 comments:
Yes, but remember the lovely women we shared a table with at a hotdog joint? We had a fabulous time with them--AND YOU EVEN TALKED! Ha-ha!
But, most of the time, I feel guilty once I realize I've engaged a stranger in conversation and you start inching away from me. Sorry to make you uncomfortable =(
WAIT! You won’t BELIEVE what I said at the dry cleaner’s this afternoon! “I sat on a pee-pee toilet seat wearing these pants, so it’s most important to me that the inside gets clean. I don’t want pee-pee pants.” The woman laughed hysterically (so hah!). As we discussed pick-up times I said, “Woah, that’s too soon for me!” She said, “Well as long as you come within 30 days. Otherwise, I got myself a new pair of pee-pee pants!” Then we both laughed. And then I left.
Post a Comment