This morning, I went to Panera's rival, Atlanta Bread Company. I was hoping the coffee would be better...it is, I suppose, but lukewarm.
On another note, I've been learning that when I pull my computer out, people assume I'm fluent in computer-speak. This happened to me teaching, except all I had to do to impress other colleagues was do "fancy" things with Microsoft Word or find cool websites.
I just met this retired man who started up a conversation with me by saying, "So tell me what your computer can do." Then proceeded to ask me what he needs for his laptop to be wireless, yet for his desktop to be connected as well. This conversation went on longer than expected. I, of course, knew nothing, but he still seemed to think I might be of some help before heading next door to.....BEST BUY.
He was pretty chatty, telling me about his work with government and nuclear waste storage facilities....then proceeded with a few choice racist remarks about his trip to the Middle East.
After learning I had a friend who lived in that region of the world (Don't worry, I was very vague, my friend!), he asked me, "What are those people thinking?! I just can't imagine what goes through their heads to do the things they do....blah, blah..." LoLo, I wish you were here, but I think you would have been proud of me. Pretty much all I said was that both sides don't understand each other and have completely different methods of thinking. He paused, then said, "So who are you voting for?" I don't know, I say. "My wife is voting for that damned Hilary Clinton." Nice.
Sidenote: the guy, I thought, was on his way out...but I just looked to the other end of the restaruant, and he's looking over the shoulder of some guy with an Apple laptop. The poor guy even has his headphones on....clear message: LEAVE ME ALONE PLEASE...but Mr. Retirement has just sat down. =) But I just heard, "wireless router".....hey, I said that too!
On another sidenote, do I even notice the assumptions I make of others? Even the ones closest to me? I think I'm too focused on fixing the wrong assumptions others have of me to even notice my own erroneous thinking.
1 comment:
So it's taken me a few days to have the chance to really read this post. I'm sooo glad that was you and not me in that situation. I'm sure you handled yourself way better.
And when I first read this, I thought that we had encountered the same man. But we didn't. The guy that was super chatty with me about my computer was a retired prof from ISU who had owned a mac since birth (or something like that).
Glad you are there to set people straight! ;)
Love & Miss You!
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