Our numbers were down at the teacher lunch table today. Only five of us showed up to entertain ourselves and revel in the company of adults.
Two of our members, let's call them Sis and Bubba, had a spirited conversation concerning electric bills, house construction, and renewable energy. Not that there's anything wrong with that. However, the other three of us dullards were unable to settle upon a topic to discuss amongst ourselves. We watched Sis and Bubba gesticulate and nod and raise their eyebrows. Finally, in an effort to steer them to a more interesting topic in the eyes of us three third wheels, I said, "Why don't the two of you just get a show on HGTV already and be done with it?"
They laughed. And continued their little environmentally-friendly conversation. Really? REALLY? Because if I want a green lunch, I'll go to the high school cafeteria. Oh...never mind.
While Sis and Bubba were expounding on the merits of solar panels and the pitfalls of hailstorms, I turned to Missus on my left. "NOW I know how students feel in my classroom. I want to jab a sharp pencil into each ear."
On my right, Mister, our guy with a personal story to fit every situation, got up and left. Thumped the green bean stems out of his tray, pushed it through the hot-water-hose window, and left the immediate vicinity of the cafeteria.
I turned back to Mrs. "You KNOW it's bad when Mister gets up to leave because he's bored."
"...green, I'd have gone to the cafeteria." Ha ha. You should have thrown in your two cents, sky lights, so low-flying airplanes can get a glimpse.
ReplyDeleteWe have a couple of mouth-breathers at work that I avoid like the plague when dining. Because being trapped in their conversational web would be worse than the plague...
ReplyDeleteHa! I cannot bare boring conversations. I mean, it obviously wasn't boring to sis and bubba (or maybe they're just falling in love). But you three should have saved yourselves. Great questions for that sort of situation, "What's the best thing your mom ever taught you?" or if you're brave, the WORSE thing. Sparks good talks.
ReplyDeleteLinda,
ReplyDeleteThey were spouting out square-footage, and government rebates, and yearly electrical costs. I was no match for that technical crap. If only I could have steered the conversation to low-flow shower heads, hot-tub-induced electrical outages, and how to protect a prospective father-in-law's cabin and John Cheever love letters from an errant cigar fire...I would have been the life of the table.
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Sioux,
If only they were low-talkers, they would be easier to ignore. Of course, you might end up wearing a puffy shirt like a pirate on the Tonight Show...
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Therese,
With my luck, the best thing would have been "how to save money on the electric bill by putting in solar panels," and the worst thing "how to shut up when people are bored with your conversation."