This morning on our walk, Nancy and I were talking about that experience we've all had--the experience of getting TRAPPED by the person who completely monopolizes you for two. freaking. hours. and. you. can't. make. them. stop. talking. and. you. can't. escape. She'd had that experience at the library last night. I'd had it at work the night before. I got cornered by a customer who took me on an incredibly detailed guided tour of the thought processes she employs while parenting, even though there were other customers standing around, waiting for me to help them. I wanted to put my head in an oven.
Nancy said, "Here's what we need. We need skills that will help us get out of those situations . . . " At this point I thought she was going to say "like the ability to say sayonara, sucker." But she surprised me. Instead, Nancy said, "We need skills that will help us get out of those situations like the ones Jeannie had in I DREAM OF JEANNIE or those characters in STAR TREK who said BEAM ME ABOARD!"
And I was all YOU'RE RIGHT. So here's to acquiring a brand new skill set with a full complement of futuristic, magical (and also awesome) powers.
(Meanwhile, why do I always want to put MY head in the oven? Shouldn't I want to put the other person's head there instead?)
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I always wonder how they cannot be aware of it, you know? What happened, what playdates or recess interactions did they skip during their youthful socialization to create those gaps that now do not allow them to pick up on the signs, the head-in-oven discomfort of the other person?
Here's what I've done a couple of times. I pat my pocket where my cell phone is ostensibly vibrating and say, "Oops! That's my phone. Can you hold that thought? I need to get this." And then I move off to "take the call" and just keep moving. I'm not saying I'm proud of it, but it works.
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