Waiting Well
We wait in all kinds of ways, in every kind of place. We wait on hold on the phone. We wait for buses. We wait in lines. We wait at appointments.
I took my friend to a doctor’s appointment last week. We waited three hours. Okay. It wasn’t three hours, it was only an hour and a half. But clearly, to many people there, the wait felt interminably long. My friend and I met some new friends.
One great fun woman asked if the chair next to us was taken. “No!” I said, “Of course not! We’ve been saving it for you!” Obviously kind, our new friend made some small talk with a lady that didn’t seem very happy that her family had come to visit her. “All my brothers and sisters came to visit me. And the plane was late.” Said so dryly, with a roll of her eyes and a flip of her hand that it pitched me into a fit of giggles. I’d just recently watched this clip:
http://barefootmeg.multiply.com/video/item/56
I had to leave for a moment. Collect myself, wait outside
“Look at that guy,” I whispered to my friend, “He’s going to explode.” He was sitting on the edge of his seat, leaning over the two chairs in front of him. He did not look happy, and was taking up more than his fair share of space in the room. He moved soon after, to the front of the room. “He’s sitting there because he’s going to grab a doctor as soon as he sees one. Right by the knees.” My friend said. And another round of laughing.
I complimented a lady on her glasses, purple and trendy and looking great with her hair, and I complimented another lady on her coat. Long, leather, laced up the back and incredibly classy. I met a carpenter and his wife, who owns a restaurant and works long hours. I noticed how very lovingly he looked at her. Then she left and came back with coffee and a muffin for him. I noticed another woman glaring at his food. Probably someone not allowed to eat that day! I had a conversation about the health care system in Canada and the documentary movie “Sicko.” I handed out a couple of business cards. I hope those folks will get in touch after they read this!
Whenever I wait, I meet people. I talk, I hear stories and absorb them, I laugh, to myself and with others. Waiting doesn’t have to be a waste of time. If you’re reading this, leave me a comment…. and tell me a good waiting story if you’ve got one.
Click here to see my friend’s follow up!
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February 8th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
kelly! awesome! THIS is what makes life fun… those minor interactions. amazing how many times they can meaningfully touch us, and who knows how they touch others.
mine… yesterday i was taking the ferry into town to teach english… 9:00am, Saturday, 35 minute ride. eating a muffin and drinking OJ, i saw 3 nuns sitting the next row over (Istanbul, Turkey… not many nuns here…). they weren’t talking, and had rather sour faces… just my kind of scenario to turn on the charm… nothing like making a nun laugh in the morning. no plan… just winging it.
after finishing my breakfast, i decided to sit down next to the “middle one” (one about 40, one about 60, one about 80 years old). “mind if i sit?” she nods “ok”.
“so… you’re nuns?” nods.
“what are you doing here?” “we’re nurses at the vatican hospital in istanbul”.
“really. go figure. where ya from?” “austria, but i’ve been here 17 years. where are you from?”
“i’m from amercia… texas…” “texas???”
“yep”… i take a pause making eye contact with each, and settling in on the oldest lady… “i’m a cowboy” i say with a slight grin and a precocious wink. the old lady starts cracking up, the middle lady laughs at her, and the young one frowns harder (i think she wanted in my pants, but i’m not sure).
ok… ice broken. 5 minutes later… “ladies, this has been most wonderful, but i must go to the back of the boat and survey the smoking section…”
February 8th, 2009 at 9:57 pm
Hi Kelly,
I loved this. I know we would get along as this is the way I approach “waiting”. There is a story everywhere worth hearing or observing.
I know the little video clip you added - which is hysterical but so poignant at the same time.
We NEED to slow down and smell the roses and realize that there is a twinkle in someone’s eye we’ll miss when we’re not paying attention or we’ll miss the sun sinking into the west or the moon rising in the east. These are the magical moments in life - really.
Can we all slow down already and just have a conversation? O just enjoy the quiet?
Why are we in such a rush when it will all come to a screeching halt soon enough? Life’s richest bits are sometimes so subtle that we’ll miss them in our impatience.
Keep chattin’ it up, Kelly!
Your Friend from Northern Cal.