PLEASE, JUST GIVE ME A SIGN
I sometimes wish people would come equipped with a warning system. You know, signs ... a neon flashing something or another that might give you a clue as to the person's mood. A giant mood ring that would mechanically say something like, "Hey, I'm not feeling good, so please don't mess with me."
Or ...
"Today is not a good day. Leave me alone!"
Or ...
"You're one of many. Take a number."
Or ...
"My head will self-destruct in 10 seconds."
At times, I am great at reading body language, but, at other times, I never know when I am going to step squarely into something ugly.
For some folks, it is as if you can see a cloud pass over their faces. For others, it may change like the weather pattern in the middle of the Great Lakes. At the drop of a hat, something might set them off, and, here is where I really think a sign would be helpful. If I knew to avoid certain hot button topics, with signs that said, "Ummm ... you're pushing it. I'd take two steps back!" Then, I would know that my line of conversation needed to be steered a little to the left (or right, as the case were).
This was never more evident than during a conversation I had not too long ago.
Things were going along swimmingly. We were laughing ... chatting ... having a really good time. We were sharing tidbits about the weeks we'd had ... the things we had coming up ... the stress levels in our respective jobs ... everything was fine. Then, because either I didn't understand what was being said to me, or because I was not being understood, the entire mood of my fellow chatter changed. Literally, in a heartbeat, we went from being chatty, chatty to ... well, nothing. Quiet ... no eye contact, and a sudden lack of wanting to continue being in the same room with me .. or at least, that was the vibe.
I don't know ... maybe it's just part of human nature. Perhaps there is nothing fool-proof when dealing with human emotion. Yet, I can't help thinking that these signs could be GOLD on an open market.
I can see my mass of millions in this concept ... hmmm ... how to make this work ...
Or ...
"Today is not a good day. Leave me alone!"
Or ...
"You're one of many. Take a number."
Or ...
"My head will self-destruct in 10 seconds."
At times, I am great at reading body language, but, at other times, I never know when I am going to step squarely into something ugly.
For some folks, it is as if you can see a cloud pass over their faces. For others, it may change like the weather pattern in the middle of the Great Lakes. At the drop of a hat, something might set them off, and, here is where I really think a sign would be helpful. If I knew to avoid certain hot button topics, with signs that said, "Ummm ... you're pushing it. I'd take two steps back!" Then, I would know that my line of conversation needed to be steered a little to the left (or right, as the case were).
This was never more evident than during a conversation I had not too long ago.
Things were going along swimmingly. We were laughing ... chatting ... having a really good time. We were sharing tidbits about the weeks we'd had ... the things we had coming up ... the stress levels in our respective jobs ... everything was fine. Then, because either I didn't understand what was being said to me, or because I was not being understood, the entire mood of my fellow chatter changed. Literally, in a heartbeat, we went from being chatty, chatty to ... well, nothing. Quiet ... no eye contact, and a sudden lack of wanting to continue being in the same room with me .. or at least, that was the vibe.
I don't know ... maybe it's just part of human nature. Perhaps there is nothing fool-proof when dealing with human emotion. Yet, I can't help thinking that these signs could be GOLD on an open market.
I can see my mass of millions in this concept ... hmmm ... how to make this work ...
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