Antigeist: victim of the bad apple

« Nostaliga breeds. | Main | Don't be such a Dick, Wolf. »

December 09, 2004

victim of the bad apple

The guy ahead of me in line (middle aged, business suit, smells of soap) pays for his coffee, and turns to leave. I pay for mine, and turn to leave. He reaches the door, pushes it open, steps through, and holds his arm out to stop the door from closing again. He looks in at me, I look out at him. Long pause. He smiles, so I smile back. Long pause. He adjusts his bags, and lifts his eyebrows as if to say So? and I answer with a face that says, So That (un)said, we continue to stand there. Two strangers on a crisp day sharing a smile through an open grocery door; or whatever it is were doing. Long pause. I start to wonder, what the hell are we doing anyway? Long pause. Man smiles. I mean, what is the thinking? Why is he just standing there in front of me, holding the door open like that

Posted by Antigeist at December 9, 2004 03:12 PM

Comments

What an odd and intimate-but-not-intimate moment. You've let your guard down.

Oh, Dear.

Wordless connections with strangers in public... not good. Not one bit.

Posted by: Red Ghost at December 9, 2004 04:54 PM

Total synapse failure. The guy's next move was to turn into a pillar of salt, which is increasingly common in doorways of groceries across our great nation. Responses vary with region, of course.

Down here in Squeal-Like-A-Hawg country, we roll each new pillar into the back of the pickup and out to the pasture, where we can always use a new salt lick.

Up your way, I'd guess the pillar gets pulverized by foot traffic and swept into a bag for de-icing nearby sidewalks later this winter.

Salt of the earth? Sorry.

Posted by: fuzzyrodrigo at December 9, 2004 08:36 PM

Was there a thank you in there somewhere?
Or were you not leaving? Because if the two of you are just standing there by the doorway - and he's holding the door, he's probably wondering if you were ever going to exit...

Posted by: kevin at December 10, 2004 12:30 AM

Yes Kevin, that's *exactly* what he was wondering.

I think it's time to get out of NYC for awhile when you've not only stopped expecting basic kindness from strangers--but you DON'T EVEN RECOGNIZE IT when you see it.

Posted by: antigeist at December 10, 2004 11:52 AM

yes,

if I had bothered to read the title I may have made that conjecture without pointing out the obvious to myself.

obviously it was past my bed time.

Posted by: kevin at December 10, 2004 09:56 PM

a speechless exchange in person is retold to others via a speechless format- in which part were you most comfortable?

Posted by: gatsby at December 11, 2004 05:10 AM

Comfortable? Me?...Ever?

Posted by: antigeist at December 13, 2004 12:24 PM

sorry, it was like, 3 in the morning- my cynical pill was just kicking in, taken with several stoli oranj sodas, and i was wearing my psychiatrist's cap- "tell me about your mother..."
though... now that i'm awake, i'm not sure what to make of the "me comfortable?..." thing- i'm new, maybe you could refer me to an earlier post that backs that up.
fantastic.

Posted by: gatsby at December 13, 2004 03:34 PM