Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Phone coda
During the movie, I thought I saw her - the iPhone girl. It was hard to tell in the darkened theater, but she had the dark hair, and the curve of her jeans as she sat down... except her hair was longer, and she wore narrow black-framed hipster glasses. I turned to the folk I sat with, and started to point her out, and tell the story, but they began the sing-along and I lost the chance.I watched her during the show, from time to time. I grew less and less certain it was her, the same girl. But she was still attractive, and she laughed and sang along and she fit in with the rest of the crowd, as we all let our "Firefly" freak flag fly.
When the credits ran for the last show, and the house lights came up, and we all trudged down the stairs from the balcony, spilling out into the night, I spotted her again, and this time, she pulled out her cell phone. A normal, ordinary, non-sexy flip phone of some kind. Definitely her phone, and definitely not an iPhone. Not the same girl.
On the sidewalk, I said goodnight to my new friends, and walked behind the theater to get in my car. The dark-haired, jeans-wearing, hipster-glasses sporting, normal cell-phone having girl walked past me, with a taller brown-haired female friend.
I could hear the words in my head: "Excuse me, do you have an iPhone?" I didn't say the words. I got in my car. I put the key in the ignition. I was moving very slowly. I turned the key. The engine started.
The girl and her friend leaned against their car, talking softly, nodding at each others' words.
I put the car into reverse. Backed out of my spot. Rolled up beside them on my way out of the lot. The tires crunched in the gravel.
I pushed the window down button. I leaned forward. My eyes were probably deep in shade from the brim of my hat in the orange halogen light.
The words I'd imagined, the question I already knew the answer to, spilled from my mouth. "Excuse me, do you have an iPhone?"
The girl, so cool and collected when talking to her friend after midnight in the movie theater parking lot... scrunched up her face in surprise and let out a near-screech. "Whaaaaaaaaaaaat?!"
I was smiling in embarrassment. "An iPhone? No?" From the fortress of my car I still felt vulnerable.
The dark-haired girl was mouthing the words of my question silently, shock having taken her voice.
Her friend, her back to me, glanced over her shoulder, rolled her eyes. "No," she said in that parenting voice one uses with the slow of brain, "we don't have an iPhone." She seemed to be both annoyed with, and used to, her friend getting strange questions from men.
"I'm sorry, you looked like someone I'd... uh... seen... before." I bowed my head in apology, raised the window again, and drove off, laughing at my strange sense of bravery. Or foolhardiness.
Whatever.
Thanks iPhone girl. I owe you one.
Comments:
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I like where this is going...., as there are opportunities in everything! It may appear odd and feel awkward, yet communication with strangers must begin somewhere.
As you have only control over you - I know you didn't do anything wrong in asking a simple question, no matter your unsaid intent, her response could have been anything too! All outside your control. In this case, she chose to not engage - decided to not partake in the play of the communication you offered/created.
The point is, a step was taken.
Sales people are very good at talking. Sharing information. Most of it not important or facinating. Yet how they describe these small events in their life, it becomes intriguing! They have no control at how others will respond - engaging in their self or merely nodding and moving on. And because of their lifestyle, they disregard those who wish to move on, and participate with those who stick around. It might seem very egocentric, however the truth is they take the step.
For us who are shy, and quite enjoy the circles of comfort we have, must understand this limits us from growing and appreciating people we have yet to meet - people who sit and watch the same movie, run a race, frequent the same commercial establishment. Because we all have the same fear of being rejected and isolated.
I apologize if this may have turned into some parent-child like lecture... I wrote it here more due to my own nature. When I read you asked a charming, unusual question to the stranger who happened to be in the theater with you, I recognized some of my own previous attempts to engage others in life.
Thank you!
As you have only control over you - I know you didn't do anything wrong in asking a simple question, no matter your unsaid intent, her response could have been anything too! All outside your control. In this case, she chose to not engage - decided to not partake in the play of the communication you offered/created.
The point is, a step was taken.
Sales people are very good at talking. Sharing information. Most of it not important or facinating. Yet how they describe these small events in their life, it becomes intriguing! They have no control at how others will respond - engaging in their self or merely nodding and moving on. And because of their lifestyle, they disregard those who wish to move on, and participate with those who stick around. It might seem very egocentric, however the truth is they take the step.
For us who are shy, and quite enjoy the circles of comfort we have, must understand this limits us from growing and appreciating people we have yet to meet - people who sit and watch the same movie, run a race, frequent the same commercial establishment. Because we all have the same fear of being rejected and isolated.
I apologize if this may have turned into some parent-child like lecture... I wrote it here more due to my own nature. When I read you asked a charming, unusual question to the stranger who happened to be in the theater with you, I recognized some of my own previous attempts to engage others in life.
Thank you!
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