Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Awkward Protocol

LOL! OMGoodness! Have you ever had a most rare moment where you and a stranger do something at the exact same time and it's awkward? I don't mean like the common, oh, we were trying to go through the door at the same time, or we were walking towards each other on the same side of the hallway, and now we're stuck in an awkward time loop of, "oh, um, I'm sorry, excuse me, stop following me!". I mean like what just happened to me at the public library. I was walking away from the counter after checking something out, and as I went to walk away, we went to clear our throats at the exact same time. Now I know what you're thinking. "It's not a big deal, Maybeline. People cough." Well, it's not as if we were complete strangers sitting in a lobby somewhere and sneezed simultaneously. There's atleast guidelines for that. It's followed by a simultaneous display of manners ("Bless you" or "Gesundheit"), and then a short chuckle of understanding as you both look back down at your phone or Cosmo mag. *Polite eye contact optional. NO! I come here often, we know each other's faces. When it happened she made an audible pause before continuing to cough more, and for some reason I paused mid step. It was surprising, because I think we both thought... we had become one. But during that second of pause we soon realized that that was ricockulous, and just didn't know the protocol since I was sure she saw me, just  as she was sure I heard her. I know this because I made a worse mistake. When I went to turn and sit, I glanced up at her and we made knowing awkward eye contact. Should I invite her for coffee? Will she call after today? Hmm... I should go.

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