Having greeted a parishioner at the door of the supermarket and bantered for a few seconds I walked firmly off in the direction of where I hadn't parked my car today. I had used a different car park to usual (we are a small town and have five town-centre car parks - go figure).
How good are you at executing the movement which involves a 180 degree turn in a busy public place without giving off the message that you are a jerk? Now I have long since got over being bothered at being thought a jerk but I still find it difficult not to give a brief hint to the rest of the world that this change of direction is deeply considered not lack of foresight. My neighbours will tell you how many times I lock the front door then return for, ooh I don't know, glasses, wallet, mobile, church keys, you name it.
Peter Kay does a lovely impression of a person running for a bus, realising they are going to miss it and changing their physical position to indicate they never meant to catch it at all but were simply jogging for exercise.
We hate having to own up to changing our minds or failing. Why?
3 comments:
As a young teenager going to get the milk from the local shop I used to run to cross the busy road and then continue to run towards the shop so that it didn't look like I was running just to cross the road but like I intended on running all along! Nowadays if I forget something and turn 180 degrees in the middle of the street I just go ahead and do it. I'm forgetful and not afraid to admit it!
Fortunately, I'm a scatty academic
and 180deg turns to pick up something I'd forgotten are part of my endearing eccentricity
which I hope make up for the times when I use my verbal skills to push a committee or whatever...
I may just be fooling myself, but the folly helps me handle the moments when I am, in the words of a respected cleric I know, being a jerk.
Once again that should be different FROM
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