Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Allow Me to Translate

The man moved his way to the front of the line seemingly oblivious that there was a line. Smiling broadly, he told the registrar exactly what he needed and got it. No "excuse me." No "ha! I beat you" either. Just oblivion.

Later during the conference the crowd split up and those of remaining in the room had an opportunity to change seats. I found an empty table and was about to place my things at my selected chair when Mr. Oblivious approached.

"Can I join you guys at this table?" he said.

Looking around at the nine other empty seats which held no other "guys," I simply said, "Sure."

He placed his things and himself at the chair directly beside me. Remember now . . . nine other options for chairs and he's positioned himself at my side.

[Spoiler alert: For those of you who might be thinking, "he's hitting on her and she's the oblivious one" let me beg to differ. He's not. He's not interested in anything but whatever he's focused on in that moment. I'm there but I'm invisible and grateful to be so.]

Within seconds I'm blessed further. Because I have no intention of engaging Mr. Oblivious in conversation, I'm thrilled when someone he was sitting with earlier joins him in this better seating arrangement.

They begin to talk.

I'm not eavesdropping at this point, but if you are seated beside me and if you don't choose to lower your voice, there's not much I can do.

I learn:
-he's just back from "the field"
-his organization told him that he couldn't return until he 'took a year to receive some mentoring and for healing'
-he thinks his organization was simply 'wiping their hands of him'
-he cannot understand why, with his degrees, no one will hire him

"OH! Can I take that one????" I want to scream but don't. "Don't you speak organizational code, dude??? These people know you're nuts!!!!!"

No comments: