For those newly following my writing, this was something I posted a while back on FB. Just to start I'm adding this, and a few others, here also. For those who are on FB with me, you don't have to read this, most likely you've see it already and therefore you will fall asleep once you've read the first sentence.
Note: This blog does not really reflect the new turn that my blogs will be taking, a more desi prospective of living in the USA. Then again, not all my future blogs will do that consistantly. Anyhow, enjoy : )
October 17, 2012
Seriously, I’m a walking talking ball of cluelessness. I’ve been told this before by many but naturally I was clueless as to what they were talking about. I’ve always found myself to be a very aware sort of human. When I mean aware though I suppose it’s more on an emotional level or even intellectual but for the most part, things slip by me easily even as I stare at them in the face. Here’s a great example and I’m a little nervous about posting it but honestly it’s funny so laugh and don’t judge.
When I was working at the x-firm, I used to go to the local Starbucks like clockwork, once in the morning and once in the afternoon for that pick-me-up that we all need to just crawl through the last couple of hours in the day. I loved that bit of time to myself or with my friends where you felt that slight loosening of corporate ties, even if it was for about 15 minutes (and you were clutching your blackberry for dear life). I would go alone sometimes but for the most part a varied amount of acquaintances started to recognize my schedule and tag along.
Now, I can’t help it if I’m by nature a nice person, nor that I can easily make friends or at least get people to like me with minimal effort. I used to get teased to hell because on more occasions than I can count, I have been given something for which I did not need to pay simply because the person seemed to like me. Some of my friends gently razed me about it but that didn’t bother me, I mean hey if I got it goin’ on, then I got it goin’ on right? Now here’s one problem though, this whole concept of ‘got it goin’ on’ can also lead to uncomfortable situations.
So here’s what happened sometime last year. Trust me when I tell you, this came out of right, left and center field and I realized at about this time how I have always had a habit of wearing blinders. One of my besties at work was let go and I was left without my coffee buddy. Devastated I went to get said hot libation the next day on a cold dreary rain drenched DC afternoon feeling sad and sniffling back tears (okay may be nothing as dramatic as that but it does add to the story no?). I walk into the warm interior of the store and shake like a dog to get rid of the droplets of rain clinging to me. I approach the barista, a woman who I would see all the time and who always was super uber friendly to me, going as far as asking me when I would next come back.
That day, she must have noted the sadness lurking around my eyes and then she also took quick note of the fact that I was alone so she asked me where my friend was. I told her that the day before had been her last day and that I was feeling the blues due to it. She reached across the register and gave me a sympathetic hug and made me my drink. As there were not many people there that afternoon, for braving the cold weather wasn’t anyone’s idea of a good time I guess, she had the opportunity to chat with me. After exchanging a few pleasantries, she suddenly asked me a question that sort of surprised me. “Are you by any chance a lesbian?”
I don’t think my mouth dropped open in shock, but I’m sure I did look a bit confused. I responded in the negative, flashing my ring. She said ‘oh well I’m not the one asking, it’s my manager, she’s curious.” Then after a pause she says “I mean, because you talk to me and well, I’m a lesbian.” I did not know this, nor did I particularly care anyhow but I nodded my head and smiled and said “nope, been married to a foolish man for 15 years.” I smiled and left without thinking.
After getting back to the office I walked into my buddy V’s office and told her about the conversation and she sat there amongst piles of folders and immediately burst into laughter and through that she called our other friend E into her office to reiterate the story, E too started to chortle. Now I thought they were simply laughing because someone assumed I was a lesbian. But no, that wasn’t it. They both informed me that it hadn’t been the manager that was interested in my sexual orientation, but in fact the barista herself which would explain why she was always so nice to me, and why she provided me with so much free drinks. I argued with them that I was a nice person (damn it) and that it’s not hard to like me. They agreed of course. Then it dawned on me and I collapsed against the wall laughing.
My friend who I often went to get coffee with was (let me repeat again) one of my besties and as women are want to do at any age we would often giggle while standing very close to one another, it wasn’t odd to find us hugging or even making suggestive remarks and 9 times out of 10, she and I were always together. She also often tried to blatantly steal my lip glosses and when I wouldn’t let her, it wouldn’t be totally off the wall to see her threaten to smooch it right off my lips (as she puckered and made fishy faces). As I stood there recalling in V’s office (laughing all the harder), I remembered how many times she (my crazy friend with the fishy lips) pulled this stunt at that very Starbucks and how many times that barista was there to observe this. You can imagine her assumption. Lol.
Yea well after a lot of discourse and analysis regarding this between V, E and me, and also realizing that the barista had actually been dropping hints upon her interest in me for months leading up to that day, I could come out of V’s office assured that I was about the most clueless woman on earth.
P.S. I think she lost interest in me after a while L Sigh, another one bites the dust *sigh*
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