I was meeting a friend for lunch today at a popular local's restaurant. and while I was waiting a older man (hearing aid, cane)
came and sat next to me.The bench was plenty enough for 2 but there was a stack of newspapers and so when he sat we were shoulder to shoulder.I'm a space person.(don't tail gate me and don't get up on me in the checkout line :) Don't get in my space! this was too close. We were both waiting for tables. As I sat there, he just blurted out "my wife passed away" oh, i am so sorry i said. "its ok, she was sick for 5 years and died on december 31st" i didn't know what to say. I wasn't sure if he was for real, i mean my gut feeling wasn't going for it. anyway he went on to talk about the desserts in the case and how he was a diabetic and couldn't eat them. anyway, he got called to a table and as he was getting up he said "are you alone?" i said no i was waiting for a friend. (i think he wanted me to join him)
i went up to the hostess and asked what his story was, i mean did his wife just die? was he lonely? was he a regular? yes to all the questions. my friend showed up and we got our table. as we were eating the older man was leaving and he walked by and waved. i don't know why i had a funny feeling about him, and yet i felt sorry for him. if it had been a woman i think i would have talked to her more. why is that? why did i have a funny (strange not ha ha) feeling about him?
5 comments:
because you're not supposed to dump on total strangers. it's creepy and i woulda been creeped out too - even tho it may kinda be sad.
Old people creep me out! Figures that I'd have to pick a condo complex full of 'em. They've told my wife they think I'm 'shy', it's really because I have zippo desire to have conversations with 'em *shrug*
http://youtube.com/watch?v=KOdjKyjQI3M
I don't know anyone who wouldn't be a little weirded out by it. But in my experience, he was someone who needed to reach out to another human being. Just look at all the open-ended hooks he left to start out a conversation. They're not exactly the best conversation starters though.
Anny's right... I understand he was lonely and just looking for a listening ear. But it's still creepy. Especially when you're ALONE.
even with your penchant for chatting with older people, this does sound kinda weird. it's one thing to make small talk with a complete stranger, but another to talk about your wife having passed away and being diabetic, and then asking if you were alone!
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