There is a certain customer that frequents the store where I work. A friendly sort of fellow and a bit eccentric. He talks with a bit of a stutter but once he gets talking he seldom stops. He can talk for an hour, easy enough. A well meaning person and not spiteful in nature. I listen to all his complaints about how the taxes in town have gone up, how there is to be another increase and of course the price of gasoline. He will talk on about the weather,the crops,his retirement pension and his family. And don't get him started about those on government assistance. Now there is a topic he really warms up too. And that brings me to what I was thinking about.
This gentleman has said to me,on several occasions, that working in the grocery store is nothing to be ashamed of. There is no shame in an honest days work. He usually goes on to state that he would work in the grocery store,if he had to. All this is said with the best of intentions I am sure. I don't believe his intent is to be condescending. It is just one of those things. I didn't realize I should/could feel ashamed doing this work. What should I be doing ? Something more manly perhaps ? Construction worker ? Maybe something more cerebral, College professor ? My response is always the same. I'll smile and say something like, "you're right about that or it's a living ".
Yes, this gent is one of those talkers that leave little room for discussion.He states his facts and opinions and doesn't leave you room to respond with much other than an acknowledgement. Then he is on to the next subject. I believe he must talk with comparative strangers because anyone close enough to him with tell him to just hush up ! So he does his talking elsewhere.
On some level I can understand him. I have been accused of running my mouth just a little bit. I'm aware of it and try to curb my enthusiasm for discourse. It is a flaw I live with. Some say I think I know it all, but that is not the case. I just want to talk about it all. LOL I try to reign myself in but it is difficult. I struggle with an addiction, the running of the mouth. I had thought writing this blog of mine would help, but I wind up talking about my blog to anyone that will listen. And I guess on some subconscious level that is why I write at all. So I can keep on talking even after I'm gone.
It is a good thing to meet another addict. To have to stare the affliction in the face. I can learn from this. I can learn to choose my words my carefully. I can learn to express myself more briefly. I can learn to listen. Then I can talk about all I've learned ! It's a win win situation. Yup, I'm already writing about it.
This gentleman has said to me,on several occasions, that working in the grocery store is nothing to be ashamed of. There is no shame in an honest days work. He usually goes on to state that he would work in the grocery store,if he had to. All this is said with the best of intentions I am sure. I don't believe his intent is to be condescending. It is just one of those things. I didn't realize I should/could feel ashamed doing this work. What should I be doing ? Something more manly perhaps ? Construction worker ? Maybe something more cerebral, College professor ? My response is always the same. I'll smile and say something like, "you're right about that or it's a living ".
Yes, this gent is one of those talkers that leave little room for discussion.He states his facts and opinions and doesn't leave you room to respond with much other than an acknowledgement. Then he is on to the next subject. I believe he must talk with comparative strangers because anyone close enough to him with tell him to just hush up ! So he does his talking elsewhere.
On some level I can understand him. I have been accused of running my mouth just a little bit. I'm aware of it and try to curb my enthusiasm for discourse. It is a flaw I live with. Some say I think I know it all, but that is not the case. I just want to talk about it all. LOL I try to reign myself in but it is difficult. I struggle with an addiction, the running of the mouth. I had thought writing this blog of mine would help, but I wind up talking about my blog to anyone that will listen. And I guess on some subconscious level that is why I write at all. So I can keep on talking even after I'm gone.
It is a good thing to meet another addict. To have to stare the affliction in the face. I can learn from this. I can learn to choose my words my carefully. I can learn to express myself more briefly. I can learn to listen. Then I can talk about all I've learned ! It's a win win situation. Yup, I'm already writing about it.
A win-win situation, indeed! We all have something to say, and blogging it is a good way to do it. That way, nobody HAS to listen as they must pretend to, at least, when we're face to face! Keep talking, Ben...I'm listening!
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