Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Betsy!! They're Dead!



My husband rubs his forehead.

Sign #1.

He sips his cocoa, nodding his head at the same time as I'm talking fast and nonstop about someone he's never met.

That was sign #2.

He doesn't even say, "Hmm." anymore, like he did when I first walked in the room. I sense I'm losing him so I talk faster. Maybe if I talk fast enough I can get the whole story in before I put him to sleep? He looks at the floor and chuckles. I didn't say anything funny.

When we reach sign #3, which that was, I know the bell has been rung. Time's up. Next subject.

Someone new walks into the room. If they're over 10 they're considered fresh meat. Ever so carefully I tread into the "Good morning- How's it going?- Want to hear something really cool" territory? "Sure!" I start talking faster and more animatedly, engaging them in the story with a flourish of arm movements...until I see the slow but steady grey creep that starts at their heart and ends up at their eyes begging me to kill them quickly.

 They've figured it out. Family history?

I finally give up. I try out the stories on other people. But I'm getting really good at reading eyes. When I start to feel like I must have residual lunch in my teeth I know I'm not talking to a gamer. Time to find neutral ground again...not 6 feet under either.

Their dead. I know. But just for a minute, well maybe a few, couldn't someone near and dear just PRETEND to be interested? At least I have Twitter and Linkedin. My Land of Oz.

Yup. They're really dead. Still. But not to me.


Betsy

6 comments:

  1. Betsy, I chuckled my way through this post. (To be honest, it was more than a chuckle. It made me laugh.) It is so humorously written -- and so accurate! There are lots of people who are interested but too often it's not the "near and dear" to us.

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  2. Nancy, You are so right. There are a lot of people who are very interested in genealogy. Thank goodness you're here to comment today! It lets me know that you can relate. Another kindred spirit!

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  3. So true. Recently on holiday & hubby said you choose where we go today.....anywhere but buying books & cemeteries.

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  4. Julie! I'll bet, if you're anything like me, your heart sank and then you did a quick mental turn-around calculating how you could both get your way! You're great! I'm curious. Did you get any books or go to any cemeteries? Betsy

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  5. Betsy, I was chuckling all through the reading of this! LOL It's such a perfect illustration of how much we live inside our own heads and how little we can actually share that world! Thank God for social media ;-)
    I'm listening.
    Lori

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  6. Lori, Thanks for listening! I love that you said that it shows "how much we live inside our own heads and how little we can actually share that world"/ Perfectly said! So important to find your audience. Most times it's not your family! Betsy

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