Category: convos with strangers

you’re not supposed to talk to strangers … but here’s why i am.

the (hilarious) talking portion of the evening ended and flowed into the signing part. we stepped and shuffled and looked around trying to figure out where the line began. all i knew is that i was at the back of it. i left my bag guarded by G and settled in to wait.

librarian: oh, maggie, we have a signing table over here for you.

and just like that, the end of the line became the beginning and i was the third person handed a post-it note with my (first) name on it. being #3 was good (not a long wait) and bad (i only had two people in front of me to figure out what to say).

let me illustrate via tweets (read from the bottom up) what was roughly going through my brain at this moment:

okay, so, that was me 2 hours before the event and now THERE WAS ONLY ONE PERSON in front of me before it was my turn. i still hadn’t decided what to say! holy cow it was my turn! so fast! be calm, mumford. be cool, mumford. stop grinning like a lunatic, mumford. get your head in the game, mumford.

me: hi.

maggie: how are you?

me: i’m good and you? *sheesh, could i have BEEN any more boring?* *say what you meant to say*

maggie: thanks for coming tonight.

maggie: *looked at post-it note with name on it* wait, abby mumford?

me: *eyes widened* *tongue dangled out of mouth**crickets chirped* *somehow nodded*

maggie: i recognized your eyeballs.

me: *slightly confused because, look again at my avatar. me = sunglasses and this was the only way she could have known of me* *went with it* hmm, well, yes, they are out. no sunglasses at night for me.

maggie: *signed page*

me: *quickly changed subject because the line is long and i had to say this* thank you for writing THE SCORPIO RACES. that book! oh. that book. *there were too many things to say about it and all the words tried to come out at once* *mumbled some plus she knew my name!* *stopped talking*

maggie: oh, what’s your favorite part?

me: when sean comes over for dinner.

maggie: and he brings the bread. yes! when there’s that line “you’re my weakness,” my husband told me “that’s the money shot.”

me: oh, that was a good one! *wanted to say more* *peered at loooong line behind me* well, thank you, maggie!

p.s. if i want to get technical, i suppose this post should be named conversations with acquaintances #1.

p.p.s. i can’t stop smiling.

i’m still attempting to talk to strangers … details on why.

it was a sunday afternoon and i was enjoying the benefits of a casual weekend dress code, i.e. i was wearing workout clothes since i had just done a neighborhood run ending at the grocery store which was next on my weekend to do list.

the line for the checkout was long and the cashier was quite chatty with each customer, but i was in no particular hurry.

the woman in front of me (to cashier): my, you’re a wonderful salesman.

cashier: *beams* thank you. i try.

off she went and on went my groceries to be scanned.

cashier (to me): hi. how are you?

me: *noticed he’s still beaming from previous customer’s compliment* i’m good. you?

cashier: fine, thanks.

he made some general remarks about my food purchases, but the rest of the transaction was smooth and painless. as i was loading up the bags onto my arms in preparation for the walk home, he flung out one last comment.

cashier: i just noticed your shirt. are you going professional?

me: *looks at t-shirt logo which says BWLA (boston women’s lacrosse association)* oh, no, this is from a summer pick up league. besides, there isn’t such a thing as professional women’s lacrosse.

cashier: oh, huh. well, could have fooled me.

me: *smiles* thanks!

cashier: have a good day.

me: thanks, you too.

off i went, bogged down by my weekly groceries and my sweaty workout clothes, not feeling particularly professional about anything, but delighted because someone thought i was.

i’m talking with strangers … details on why.

it was a gorgeous summer evening and i was enjoying it on the walk home. i wasn’t the only one taking advantage of the nice weather, as there were tons of boats out on the water. most were far, sailing merrily in the evening.

but one was close. so close in fact, i made eye contact with one of the two guys in the boat. we both did a double take as we realized we were both looking.

me: *waves*

boy #1: come on down!

me: *smiles*

boy #2: *mouth forms words but i can’t hear them over my ipod.*

me: *removes earbuds* what?

boy#2: i’ll catch you.

me: oh, i bet you would. *laughs* you boys have a nice evening now.

they continued to sail along side me as i crossed the river. i enjoyed their company and their bravado and couldn’t help but wonder what really would have happened if i had said “okay” and jumped?

i’m talking with some strangers … here’s why,

i was in the righthand lane and a big truck was in the left. we were both stopped at a red light. with green, i pressed the accelerator, as did the guy to the left of me.

the next thing i knew, he was veering into my lane. in a slight panic, i removed my foot from the gas and left it off both pedals as i attempted to assess the situation, i.e. guess what the F he was doing in that much bigger car than mine.

the night time temperatures were lovely and as such, i had my windows rolled down. there was nothing on the radio but commercials, so i had turned it off.

him: “sorry!”

it was soft, but unexpected as it floated through my open window and he jerked his car back into his lane and blessedly away from mine. one doesn’t expect to have a conversation with the driver of another car whilst driving, but i will admit, the recognition and admittance of his poor driving skills was appreciated, not to mention, i was super glad to have my car untouched and able to zoom off into the night.