So, I was looking for a new stash of library books, quietly browsing row by row and a woman came right along beside me after being on the previous aisle. She was suddenly *right there*. Sort of like how you'll be shopping and looking at clothes on a particular table and all of a sudden you're surrounded by several folks all looking in the same direction as you are. You know what I mean. Annoying. And rather than move around me and look on the far side of me, she camped out by my left side, just waiting for me to move. The childish *I was here first* argument wouldn't have worked, though, because I could tell that she'd out-wait me. I walked away.
Then, on a totally different aisle, I was looking at more books and a man about my age (fifties, though he was definitely older) came along my side as well. Sheesh. Too close for comfort. And it wasn't that sort of close that implies that the person wants to start a jokey conversation about how we must be looking for the same book (I *have* had that chat before with a friendly person), but the kind that spoke of him wanting me to get out of his way. I backed away, he sidled past, but not before he stood to my immediate right to look at the same section of books. Patience? I don't think so. And did he ever say "excuse me?" Ha. Then he walked in front of me again to the left....stood there a few seconds and walked in front of me one final time to walk to the right. I was on the verge of asking if his mother had taught him manners, but held my tongue.
So, fast forward to dancing class with a footnote I believe I've shared with you before, but it bears repeating. We sit in chairs set around the room at the group dance on Friday nights, and the instructors or other male students walk up, ask us to dance and politely take our hands and lead us out to the dance floor, but sometimes we almost race out there. Then when the dance is finished, they tuck our hands into their bent arms (like you're being taken to your seat before a wedding) and walk us back to our chairs. And even with my private lesson on Monday afternoon, my sweet, young (Cuban--thick accent--struggling with English) teacher followed the same procedure. He thanked me for the lesson (shouldn't that be the other way around?) and walked me back to the table where we'd started.
More please.
Then, on a totally different aisle, I was looking at more books and a man about my age (fifties, though he was definitely older) came along my side as well. Sheesh. Too close for comfort. And it wasn't that sort of close that implies that the person wants to start a jokey conversation about how we must be looking for the same book (I *have* had that chat before with a friendly person), but the kind that spoke of him wanting me to get out of his way. I backed away, he sidled past, but not before he stood to my immediate right to look at the same section of books. Patience? I don't think so. And did he ever say "excuse me?" Ha. Then he walked in front of me again to the left....stood there a few seconds and walked in front of me one final time to walk to the right. I was on the verge of asking if his mother had taught him manners, but held my tongue.
So, fast forward to dancing class with a footnote I believe I've shared with you before, but it bears repeating. We sit in chairs set around the room at the group dance on Friday nights, and the instructors or other male students walk up, ask us to dance and politely take our hands and lead us out to the dance floor, but sometimes we almost race out there. Then when the dance is finished, they tuck our hands into their bent arms (like you're being taken to your seat before a wedding) and walk us back to our chairs. And even with my private lesson on Monday afternoon, my sweet, young (Cuban--thick accent--struggling with English) teacher followed the same procedure. He thanked me for the lesson (shouldn't that be the other way around?) and walked me back to the table where we'd started.
More please.
