"Hey do you want to dance while we wait?" I remarked to him.
"Yeah, I know, right?" he replied. Um, I guess he thought I was joking. I didn't pursue it any further. I am still struggling with when to press for a definite answer. I don't want to come across as creepy but I feel like part of going for a specific outcome is being persistent with one person. I've been getting better at it, but for whatever reason I decided to drop it for the time being.
Later on as I was exchanging some makeup at Ulta I spied this older woman who seemed a little lost. I decided to revisit yesterday's requests and said "Hey you want to sing along with me?" referring to the music that was playing in the store. "Yeah, sure!" she said. She too thought I was joking, which I could tell from the way she replied and then went right back to looking for whatever it was she was there for.
Something wasn't right here. I realized I was approaching people like it's a joke when I should be making it clear that I'm serious, even if I smile or laugh. Maybe that is why people were so willing to play along on Day 15. Maybe I have to be clear that I making a serious request.
Fast forward to after work, I am out of dog food and Petco carries one of the few brands I buy. So I stopped there, determined to exit with a bag of dog food and a fistful of rejection. I had been wanting to get a stranger to dance with me but I pooped out on that idea after Starbucks. But... what if I didn't ask someone to do something for me? What if I asked them if I could do something for them instead?
A few minutes later I turned a corner in the store and came face to face with another customer, a middle-aged woman who looked kind of sad and tired. "Excuse me.... Can I teach you how to swing dance?" I said with a poker face. Ok I smiled, but I was definitely more serious about it than I had been at the other places. She put her hand up to make a stop sign and said "I don't think now is a good time, but thank you." Even as she refused my request her whole body kind of relaxed because she was smiling at the silliness of it all. She even managed to laugh a little. But her weariness came through loud and clear.
I'm glad I was able to give that woman a moment of amusement. These interactions I am having with people have been really fun for the most part. But, not everyone I encounter will always be in a good state of mind. Maybe she just didn't sleep well? Maybe she was really troubled by something. As much fun as I have had and have given other people, there's no reason I can't also hold someone up who needs it. I wish instead of darting off I had asked her if she was ok, or if she needed anything.
I've definitely got that filed away if it should happen again.
"determined to exit with a bag of dog food and a fistful of rejection" -- brilliant.
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