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
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.
ReplyDeleteNancy, 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!
ReplyDeleteSo true. Recently on holiday & hubby said you choose where we go today.....anywhere but buying books & cemeteries.
ReplyDeleteJulie! 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
ReplyDeleteBetsy, 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 ;-)
ReplyDeleteI'm listening.
Lori
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
ReplyDelete