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Friday, November 7, 2008

Dinner Conversations

This will be a different post for you today. I actually didn't have a post until a little while ago. I have been a little busy this week subbing. I have ended up subbing at least 2-3 days almost every week. This week I am realizing more and more, that if I can make even the tiniest difference it is worth it. I did not realize how attached I would become to the children almost instantly, but I have. I want to be available for God to use me there, even in small ways.

Now on to the subject of "Dinner Conversations". This has made me very mindful of the conversations that I might have in public, that can be easily overheard, and be aware, because you never know who might be listening.( I might add, that it was definitely not my intent to listen, but it was unavoidable to say the least).Hopefully this will be the last weekend of eating alone. For one thing when you are in a restaurant, and you are alone, it is way too easy to hear conversations at the other table. I decided that tonight would be Chinese night, so out I went. I really thought it would be fairly quiet, because most folks would be at the football games, but I was mistaken. That was OK until I was seated in a quiet little booth(so I thought), next to a table of about 8. That was fine too, until everyone at the table decided to see how unpleasant the dinner conversation could be. It went a little like this...........

As soon as I sat down, a girl jumped up, holding her mouth as if she were going to throw up, over a plate of frog legs that someone had brought to the table. I listened to the drama over this for several minutes, and then it worsened. Several started talking about the emergency room visits they had experienced. It went from that subject to discussing someone they knew that ate raw hamburger meat, and how you could get tapeworms from eating raw hamburger. I could see that it wasn't getting better, and being the person that stops anyone at our table engaging in a conversation that might make my stomach feel a little queasy, I was desperately trying to figure out what to do without causing a scene.

Seeing the opportunity at an empty table at the other end of the room, I quietly picked up my plate, drink , silverware and pocketbook and headed to the other table. Thankfully the conversations around me were much quieter, and seemingly more pleasant. Have you ever experienced something similar? It was definitely a reminder to me to make sure that my conversations are pleasant and not disturbing to those around me.

I stopped to get a couple of girly movies to watch, took the dogs for a walk, fell flat out in the road while walking the dogs and quite sure I will be sore tomorrow. It is finally time for a movie, and I am headed to the big church yard sale tomorrow, and maybe a couple of smaller ones. Have an absolutely wonderful weekend! Jackie

8 comments:

Rae said...

I can imagine what a blessing you are to all the children you interact with at school. They are fortunate to have such a loving sub!

People do not clue in to how far their voices carry and to the fact that others do not want to hear their conversations! Ick! Definitely not what you want to hear while you're trying to eat!!

I'm trying to convince DK that we should have Chinese for dinner tonight...but it will be take out!

Yikes! I hope you weren't hurt with your fall! Take a nice long bath and soak those sore muscles!!

Hope you find lots of treasures at the tag sale tomorrow!

Neabear said...

Yikes, I hope you are okay after the fall. I fell this week also while on vacation. A bruise on my shin and kind of sore the next day. It could have been worse. I was lucky.

Kim said...

What a great reminder to always watch our words and who they may affect!

So sorry to hear you fell while enjoying a nice walk.... hope you are able to put your feet up and rest it off today.

So glad you and the students are bonding.... it's great for them to have the same sub!

Have a super weekend!!!

Stacey said...

I used to sub a lot before teaching full time. Great subs are worth a million bucks! Keep it up.

Now about dinner...yucky, yucky, yucky!! I guess those people weren't as sensitive to the subject because they were in the big middle of it. Let me just say that I'm so proud of you for going to eat alone though. Not me. It would be take out for me.

Hope you are not too sore today. I am known to fall on occasion too. It's so embarassing.

Anonymous said...

You did the right thing by moving to another table in the restaurant! I often find that people don't watch what can be over heard in public or they just don't care. I esp. get upset when young adults cuss in public without regard to any children who may be near...or adults for that matter too (It's offensive to me!).

Elise said...

Wow, what a great reminder to check your conversations. Love all of your thrifty finds!!
Elise

Kitty Scraps said...

You did the right thing by moving to another table. I am very old school about things like this, I believe in proper manners when in public and it really irks me when people want to act like that in public, especially in restaurants! Yesterday while shopping in a boutique a rather loud obnoxious man starting making political comments which I found to be very offensive and inappropriate, I left the store without buying a thing because of this customer but before I left I couldn't help myself from mumbling under my breath "I wish you'd shut up" and another customer heard me and smiled her agreement, so it was nice to know I wasn't alone in finding Mr Loudmouth annoying.

Dawn Gahan said...

Jackie,

I, like you, relish eating alone at a restaurant but have also been plagued with a table nearby that totally makes my quiet time turn anxious.

Hope your spill didn't make for an uncomfortable weekend!

Dawn