I had one of those awkward moments today. You know the kind, the one where you run into someone you've recently met, and you have a brief second or two when you must rapidly decide what to do about it. My story goes as follows:
Having just finished a session with a patient, I got on the elevator and began to contemplate over my lunch options. When the elevator reached the 6th floor, the doors opened, and, seeing a lady with a stroller, I moved to hold the doors for her. At the same time, I caught sight of a familiar face- the boy who I had sat next to only 3 weeks before in a very very long seminar. Recognition mirrored on both our faces, and I knew that I had exactly 3 seconds to distinguish our status from stranger to acquaintance. Just as I was about to say hi, he moved first: he turned away. Like that, the moment was over. 3 seconds. That's all it took to make one simple elevator ride an extremely awkward one for the next 5 floors.
I must say that I too engage in such self-defense mechanisms. Given my more awkward-nature-than-most, I will and have purposely avoided similar opportunities of interaction. Still, what really is there to be afraid of? The most is another awkward moment when the person you recognize doesn't remember you. But that's okay. That's what friends are for ;).
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