A teacher walks into my office
“I looked all over for that questionnaire you asked me to fill out…”
“Oh—I got it from the counselor.”
“What!? I was searching for weeks, trying to find that form for you!”
“Sorry,” I said.
She came unglued—but then I pasted her with charm. It’s easy for me to make others mad. I don’t even try. It’s a gift.
“Say, why don’t you keep your blinds open? Then people can see you.”
“I don’t like to feel like a goldfish,” I said. “They stare at me, like a celebrity, or something distasteful, or with no emotion at all, like, ‘Hey, there’s a man in there, staring at a computer screen. Why does he do it?’ Darned if I know. Survival has me reduced to cubical time—hours spent inside a box.”
“But people want to see you,” she said.
“Why?”
“You’re interesting. Personally, I don’t think so, but someone said you are.”
“Oh.”
I ate lunch in the teacher’s lounge. I was invited again.
It was nice.
Of course, I try to stir-up controversy, but nobody bites. You have to win their confidence, first. Then, appear normal. Second, a little abnormal. If they don’t react negatively, you can be yourself.
Otherwise, you have to listen, and nod, and say something in a similar vein, like “Yes—I will be going under my house for the break. Oh—you’re going to Florida—that’s nice.”
It might be good to laugh at their jokes too, if they’re funny.
It’s the eternal comedy.
Intellectual Shaman 
I really enjoyed this. I hope you enjoy your time under the house 🙂
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Thanks Suzanne! Who knows what I will find? Maybe, some mummified rats. I’m sure that it will make a great story.
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Laughing at other people’s jokes can be very hazardous. What if you hate their humor and they think you like their humor? Now they will tell you stupid jokes non-stop. All because you laughed.
I find it is safer to NOT laugh at anyone’s jokes, even if I find them funny. Because it might be an aberration and usually their jokes are NOT funny. Better safe than sorry.
But that might be why I work outdoors with only 1 other person instead of inside a building with lots of people
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Bookstooge, I can relate. Sometimes, I laugh at the situations I find myself in. I can’t make this up, so I see the sunshine, and write about it! 🙂
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😀
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Love it.
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that is a gold analogy .. fish in a bowl. My wife likes the curtains open but i like my privacy. yes i can see how i may be viewed as a fish now.
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You can’t put a price on privacy! Some people like to be looked at. Some people want to be looked at. I don’t understand that. 🙂
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Me Too.
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I love your poems ! Profound and yet very simple and entertaining !
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I’m glad that you like my poems, Someone! 🙂 And thanks for the encouragement!
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