If I had my druthers, I would spend part of my day sitting in a busy public place observing and wondering about the people sharing the space with me. I find it so fascinating watching the interactions and using my imagination to fill in the unknown.
Where the air is filled with real life unfolding. I love it.
Today, I found myself sitting in my doctor's crowded waiting room soaking in the sounds and sights and the smells...........of well worn winter boots.
It is a place of secrets and unknown fears
of aches and fatigue
of money and poverty
of urban and rural
of new and old
of limps and relief
of joy and sorrow
all playing out while a tinny radio plays worn out hits in the background and the receptionist with an Acadian accent fields calls and inquiries.
Today, I watched a very young woman cradling her swollen belly. Soon, she'll be a mom. And I wonder if she has someone to love her. I wonder whether she's excited or overwhelmed with the idea that her carefreeness is gone. It's hard to say. She sits alone. Still. In her head. Cradling her belly. Lost in thought.
Today, I see an elderly couple who have spent their adult lives together. A few whispered words as they wait for their turn to see the doctor tells me this. They both look exhausted, like the trip in from their home zapped them of all the energy they normally use throughout a whole day. Instead, they had to summon all of it to dress warmly to travel to the third floor in a medical building. And I wonder.........which one is feeling ill. Which one needs the attention of the doctor. What are their worries? Have they travelled into town to hear news? Both of their names are called. They both go into the examining room behind the closed door. I wish them well under my breath.
The quiet is sliced as the door opens to a mom and her 18 month old little one whose dressed in coordinated pink boots and snowsuit........fluffy pink mitts on strings dangle out of her sleeves. She just had her needle, and yet there are no tears. Instead, this resilient little one regales everyone with waves and smiley good-byes as she wriggles out of her mom's arms to independently walk out the door. Her charm makes every heart smile no matter what the ailments. And I think.......let's hope this little one grows up to be a motivational leader!
Like the little one was a signal to allow for discourse, conversations begin between acquaintances. No matter where you sit to observe in this city, people know one another. Familiar topics are treaded upon but swiftly the storybooks open to sharing a slice.
It's funny, I think.......personal information is not shared so freely where I grew up. It's a Maritime thing.
Open books crossing imaginary people boundaries.
I sit and listen to a man from "up river" chat up another man whom he hasn't seen in years. He jumps into his story about hitting black ice on a rural road a month back, totalling his truck of 14 years and leaving he and his mother named Myrtle (whose sitting on the other side of the room quietly) with bruises and cracked ribs.
"It's them seatbelts what saved us, right mom?"
"Yep, but they left us all bruised up. And them blow out things in the dashboard. They helped, but it was some awful scary," she replies.
The radio begins to play the Barenaked Ladies song.........."Pinch me"........the first lines.....
"It's the perfect time of year
Somewhere far away from here
I feel fine enough I guess
Considering everything's a mess............."
I smile at the scene I'm observing and the song words........and decide to stop writing down my observations in order to jump into the conversation.
"What road were you driving on?" I ask. They let me into the storybook.
As we carry on the conversation, the young pregnant girl reappears from behind the closed door. Smiling, she looks relieved. Her bounce in her step tells me she's going to be alright with her new role.................she just needed a bit of reassurance.
Where the air is filled with real life unfolding. I love it.
Today, I found myself sitting in my doctor's crowded waiting room soaking in the sounds and sights and the smells...........of well worn winter boots.
It is a place of secrets and unknown fears
of aches and fatigue
of money and poverty
of urban and rural
of new and old
of limps and relief
of joy and sorrow
all playing out while a tinny radio plays worn out hits in the background and the receptionist with an Acadian accent fields calls and inquiries.
Today, I watched a very young woman cradling her swollen belly. Soon, she'll be a mom. And I wonder if she has someone to love her. I wonder whether she's excited or overwhelmed with the idea that her carefreeness is gone. It's hard to say. She sits alone. Still. In her head. Cradling her belly. Lost in thought.
Today, I see an elderly couple who have spent their adult lives together. A few whispered words as they wait for their turn to see the doctor tells me this. They both look exhausted, like the trip in from their home zapped them of all the energy they normally use throughout a whole day. Instead, they had to summon all of it to dress warmly to travel to the third floor in a medical building. And I wonder.........which one is feeling ill. Which one needs the attention of the doctor. What are their worries? Have they travelled into town to hear news? Both of their names are called. They both go into the examining room behind the closed door. I wish them well under my breath.
The quiet is sliced as the door opens to a mom and her 18 month old little one whose dressed in coordinated pink boots and snowsuit........fluffy pink mitts on strings dangle out of her sleeves. She just had her needle, and yet there are no tears. Instead, this resilient little one regales everyone with waves and smiley good-byes as she wriggles out of her mom's arms to independently walk out the door. Her charm makes every heart smile no matter what the ailments. And I think.......let's hope this little one grows up to be a motivational leader!
Like the little one was a signal to allow for discourse, conversations begin between acquaintances. No matter where you sit to observe in this city, people know one another. Familiar topics are treaded upon but swiftly the storybooks open to sharing a slice.
It's funny, I think.......personal information is not shared so freely where I grew up. It's a Maritime thing.
Open books crossing imaginary people boundaries.
I sit and listen to a man from "up river" chat up another man whom he hasn't seen in years. He jumps into his story about hitting black ice on a rural road a month back, totalling his truck of 14 years and leaving he and his mother named Myrtle (whose sitting on the other side of the room quietly) with bruises and cracked ribs.
"It's them seatbelts what saved us, right mom?"
"Yep, but they left us all bruised up. And them blow out things in the dashboard. They helped, but it was some awful scary," she replies.
The radio begins to play the Barenaked Ladies song.........."Pinch me"........the first lines.....
"It's the perfect time of year
Somewhere far away from here
I feel fine enough I guess
Considering everything's a mess............."
I smile at the scene I'm observing and the song words........and decide to stop writing down my observations in order to jump into the conversation.
"What road were you driving on?" I ask. They let me into the storybook.
As we carry on the conversation, the young pregnant girl reappears from behind the closed door. Smiling, she looks relieved. Her bounce in her step tells me she's going to be alright with her new role.................she just needed a bit of reassurance.
10 comments:
It's a bit of a leveller isn't it - ill health. It makes us vulnerable and needy where once we were self reliant and smug. Just some thoughts I had while reading your post. Ultimately we all do need each other but usually we manage to hide this fact in our busyness, work and routine. It's funny how illness seems to expose our need for others and also causes us to see value in relationships which we never really noticed before. Sometimes, and often I think illness can be a blessing in disguise.
Julie x
Dana,
This is a beautiful post. Thank you!
This made me smile. It's so true as well. Most of the time there are children playing, sharing germs, the elderly talking in quiet whispers...it's as though we are all saying "we are in this together. When you get called to move to the smaller room we will pray for you out here. Good luck." It's a warmth that makes us feel connected to one another when we need it most.
By the way, I got screened in for a Federal Gov job and have my interview on Valentine's Day. Pray for me...soon what the "C" stands for won't make a difference!
Hi julie.....thank you for your comments. I agree. Illness can be a great leveller. I find that when I have to go to the doctors office in the middle of a busy day, I plunk myself down knowing I'm in for a bit of a wait and take notice of my stillness....and then I watch. Often, I bump into a client whom I havent seen in a long time....all of a sudden I'm in the middle of a conversation of catching up....even if I'm there with one of my kids for some reason. One never knows what one will encounter in a waiting room in the Canadian Maritimes. It has a unique flavour that has to do with connectiveness and the ease with which people will share their vulnerabilities.
dustin.....i'm glad you like it. I was thinking of you writing it, knowing that your wife is due to be a mom soon. I remember the anxieties related to the anticipation and wondering.... :)
sunny....great news....we'll connect beforehand to "get yer ready, 'bye jesus." yes, let's change that "C" to the real thing.
lisa......welcome! Charles' link to me has brought many people my way. My he has a large following!! I'm glad you found something here you enjoyed. I'll pop by your site soon.
It's amazing the difference in people's demeanors between airports and doctor's offices. I used to really enjoy watching people's interactions at the airport, but those aren't quite as interesting/exciting as they used to be in this post 9/11 world where only people with boarding passes are allowed to go to the gates.
There used to be something magical about watching people saying goodbye to one another or hugging one another after a seperation no matter how brief or extended it may have been. You can still get glimpses of it outside as people are getting dropped off or in baggage claim as they're getting picked up. It's not the same though.
I thoroughly enjoy people-watching though, and given that I'm a writer at heart-- much like you I try to fill in the gaps with my imagination. I loved this post as I could so totally relate to it!
I grew up in a small town where everyone seemed to know or know of my father. Going out for breakfast could stretch out for hours as people would see my father and stop to say hello and play a brief game of "catch-up." The first time I took my wife "home" for a visit she marveled at the difference between her rather suburban upbringing and my considerably more rural upbringing.
I'm glad you were there to observe and share with us. I do the same thing when I am in a waiting room, or on the streets (particularly in NYC).
hey perplexio....i too love the airport.....you can still get the same feeling as you described at the little airport here in Fredericton.....train stations are great too, but airports are so dramatic and wonderful.
Another place to watch is at a local coffee shop........Tim Horton's is great for this. I have always wanted to sit in a 24hr Tim Hortons and watch all the different "types" of folks that pop in there over the course of the full day.......early morning hockey moms and blue collar workers, business types, afternoon retirees right to the after bar crowd........it would be very interesting.......a slice of life.
Or a 24 hour truck stop diner place on the side of a busy highway. Have you ever walked into one at 3 in the morning? Very interesting group of travellers........and the people who work there are night owl types who are going about their very different "day"
Glad you enjoyed my piece. It was fun to write. I'll have to do it again. YOU try it too. I'd love to read you take on it.
Hi Judy........thank you. I'm a people watcher wherever I go. malls are good for that as well, and subways in a big city.... :)
Your words are wonderful...I am definitely a people watcher. I am captivated by human behavior.
Lovely reading your keen observations...
Wow! What a revelation....I never bother to people watch, I like to stick to myself and not notice. But I guess I'm going to start opening my eyes and actually look at everyone around and try to have fun with that....thanks for post...its a good one...another one to make me think.
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