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Saturday, June 28, 2008

You Don't Have To Be Mad To Work Here But...

In the Salvation Army, one of the workers who looked like Lily Tomlin, maybe about 45 or so was getting a kick out of H' and I. I was making H' sit in this chair she eventually bought, and I went around the store finding wee tables, a TV, a lamp, gaudy ornaments etc, a bad Danielle Steele novel...and made a make-shift living room all around her and the chair, so she could, 'get a feel for the chair'.

WORKER: Ah look at you! Are you from Glasgow? That's the neatest Scottish accent you have!

I did the usual, "No it's a hybrid of accents" thing. But Glasgow I was from and she would not budge. In the end I was saying, "Glasgow IS amazing, yup" (I have never been and know nothing of it).

Then she gets real excited as I look at a CD tower, I ask, "How much?". However, she hones in on the old school HiFi beside them..."Yes, let me see, how much..oooh, no price, mmm, you are lovely dear....this would be perfect for you, ...oooh, that accent...yes let me see, where-where...oh look here, it has VHS here for your music..(she demonstrates the music cassette buttons as if it's advanced technology)..look now at this round bit...you get things from around the world...what is that dial...oh of course, the citizen band..." No HINT of humour, she was genuine as the day is long. So I look at the 'citizen band dial' and then I look at her....and I just smile from ear to ear, "Yup, that citizen band is pretty cool, huh". This woman, she is seven shades of oddness, but wow, she is great.

When we went back later, she gushed all over me again. It was this beautiful, quirky interaction both times...and I just thought, how much joy do people miss by dismissing people like this as "nuts" or "whacked"?? Why not meet people where they are at when you sense something in that so called realm?

Funny though, as I left, I just knew in ten years or so, that would likely be me. Ah, shucks, now there's something to look forward to Jenny-kins (What do you mean you are extending your stay???????? Smile)

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