Thursday 11 July 2013

STOP OR WAVE...?

Stop or wave?  Stop or Wave? STOP OR WAVE?!

I just don’t know...

I’ve become a wave.

I’ve become a don’t stop walking, slow pace a little and wave a bit- and maybe say something weird and quick and rhetorical like “Heya- y’aright?” but never stop walking.

Which is odd because I was always, ALWAYS a stop. I’d beam from a distance, wave a bit, slow down, pull up (looking carefully behind me to avoid annoying any followers, as if driving, and pull in somewhere convenient for a proper conversation.

With anyone!

Well, not quite anyone. But anyone I sort of vaguely knew. I wouldn’t feel awkward, it wouldn’t be stilted, it would always be quite jocular and good-natured- a brief chat and then part company happily and be on my way.

And now?

Now I scope from a distance, keep walking, smile, say “Heya- y’aright?” or whatever, but DON’T STOP WALKING.  Don’t even slow down! Keep moving, don’t initiate or respond with anything likely to stimulate further discourse. NODON’TSLOWDOWNDON’TSLOWDOWNDON’TSLOWDOWN! Phew!

Made it.

I have no idea why this change has occurred. Granted I’m busier these days than I was as a student, and spend less time just trolling around town aimlessly- but that wouldn’t explain the complete lack of enthusiasm for engaging. I used to actually like irrelevant, off-the-cuff nonsense with people I loosely knew. It was nice feeling you knew lots of people and knowing a few faces as you wander about.

But now I’m not just less enthused, I’m actually avoidant. It feels like a hassle and I dismiss the value I once saw as needless effort for no benefit.

Sounds a bit mean-spirited now I think about it.

I should add, this is only for those fringey-friends of friends types that you know, but don’t know well.

I have two exceptions- people with whom I happily pause and gossip in the street...


Proper friends.


...And hot people.  People I don’t know too well but who are super fit.


I am a shallow, petty man....





2 comments:

  1. Ha! I'm a wave kinda gal myself. Depends who it is though. When you notice that habits like this have changed over time, you know that your life is constantly evolving and you won't stay the same person all your life. I'm fascinated by this process actually, I used to think most of my traits were fixed but over time I realised they weren't. This made me more tolerant of other people as a result bizarrely - if I was changing then so were they.

    Oh, I'm Urban Cynic by the way. Long-time reader of Superlative's stuff! x

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  2. Oooh- I *do* know you! Hi!

    I know what you mean. But I'm kind of assuming it just means I'm becoming old and joyless....

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