Fangirls unite! Or, how Scroll learned to talk to strangers.
I had an interesting half hour on my way home from work! I left the office an hour early because the movers came to pack up my computer. Took the subway, then the bus. Halfway home, three Caucasian women get on the bus. I don't know if they were related, but they all had light blonde hair, probably dyed (they were past middle-aged, I'd estimate?), and wore casual clothes, jeans and t-shirts. One of them had a Cher t-shirt! Which... okay, didn't necessarily mean anything. I'm not a Cher fan. But I noticed it. Unlike everyone else on the bus, they were relaxed, chatting with each other, joking to themselves about warning other passengers not to sit on the seat with the spilled water, and how the poor guy who'd sat there got his pants all wet. Not in a mean way, but in a very good-natured, "we're enjoying each other's company" kind of way. (Like they were at a Con or Gathering!)
See, the weird thing is? I saw them get on the bus. I watched them come down the aisle. I offered one of them my seat (she declined). And I knew it. Somehow, in my lizard brain, I knew that these women were Of My Tribe.
Of course, I didn't speak to them, didn't even really acknowledge the instinctive kinship I felt. Because I Don't Talk To Strangers. But THEN.
"...trying to find the location of the Hellmouth on Buffy."
I spun around in my seat at that! They noticed me noticing, and suddenly we were talking: "You know Buffy?" "I couldn't help overhear you say Buffy." "Isn't it great?" "Yes! I love Buffy!" "Us too! We're trying to find the location of the Hellmouth!" "It's under the high school!" "We know that -- we're trying to find it on the computer game!"
And then we quickly moved onto Angel: "Did you watch Angel?" they asked. "Yes, I love Angel, it's my favourite!" I said. "I like Buffy too, but I love Angel best!" "I love Spike!" (I didn't have a response to that. *g*) "Did you follow him over to Bones?" (I didn't understand her question at first; the bus engine was pretty loud.) "You should watch Bones, it's so good!" "I'll give it a try!"
We had this rapid-fire conversation in under 120 seconds. Unfortunately it was my stop and I had to get off the bus. "It's such a pity I have to get off at the next stop!" "Yes, we could've been talking about Buffy all this time!" "I know!" We said our "so nice to meet you, have a great weekend!" and I had to get off the bus.
(One thing about them: I said earlier they might've been related. Don't know if they were, but maybe not. Cuz my gaydar is pretty useless, but I got the faintest queer vibes from them. I could be wrong! But it probably helped contribute to my sense of them being More Awesome Than The Rest Of The Bus.)
Of course, I missed my stop and got off at the next one. Oops! BUT THAT'S OKAY. Because that brought me to the next leg of my very short, but interesting, journey. So I get off at the next stop, which means I have to take a short-cut through a neighbourhood. It's the same path I used to take walking home from elementary school. It's been a while, but I probably walk this street two or three times a year, whenever I miss my stop. I've never seen anyone at home when I pass my old classmate's house... until today.
Mrs J is my old classmate's mother. I've known her since grade 1 and she used to substitute at our elementary school. I saw her, waved, and crossed over to say "hi". She remembered who I was! I probably haven't seen her since high school (her son and I went to the same elementary, junior high, and high schools) but she remembered my name. She remembered where my house was, saw me walking that way, saw me wave, and made the connection.
We chatted for a bit. Her older son is getting married, finally, after 9 years of dating the same girl. Her younger son (my classmate) moved out 5 years ago, as soon as he was done university. He lives downtown and travels a lot -- Europe a couple of years ago for 6 weeks, just went off on his own, and Japan last year to visit another former classmate of ours. Whose family still lives in my complex, though if we met on the street now, I doubt I'd recognise him, nor him, me. And whose dad died earlier this month. Sad news. She mentioned somebody else who'd died in the neighbourhood, and this time I knew about it -- my two friends, the sisters, whose mom passed away from cancer. (I posted about it but can't find the entry.) I mentioned I'd been roommates in first year with another former classmate (elementary, junior high, high school, and university -- a record!) but that we didn't see each other any more. She said her son's closest friends were all from his school years, not university. I said that was the same with me, and in fact I'd be seeing high school friends tomorrow. I told her I hoped to move out next year, and that I was going to Europe in two weeks. She said I had changed a lot, I said I didn't think I had, only gotten taller. She said my hair was gorgeous *g* and I said I'd cut it before Europe. I told her to say "hi" to her son for me, and that I said to call his mom more often :D
Even though I'd consider Mrs J and her family only passing acquaintances, barely that and certainly not friends, it was so cool to chat with her. It's cool that she and her son have kept in contact with people from back then, even if I haven't. There's all this shared history I never really think about -- this neighbourhood, these schools, that park right off Mrs J's street. (That park where Mrs J's son peed against the playground equipment, and yes, that is one of my strongest childhood memories.) These people who've known me for so many years, even if they didn't really know me. It's... comforting to know they're still here.
I just told my mom about my little adventure, and she had to laugh at me. She said I used to always miss my stop (true) or I'd get confused about the time, or directions (also true), or I'd fall asleep on the subway (happened to me YESTERDAY), and she really hoped I wouldn't have these problems in Europe -- which I hope is true too, but hey! It could be a little adventure!
See, the weird thing is? I saw them get on the bus. I watched them come down the aisle. I offered one of them my seat (she declined). And I knew it. Somehow, in my lizard brain, I knew that these women were Of My Tribe.
Of course, I didn't speak to them, didn't even really acknowledge the instinctive kinship I felt. Because I Don't Talk To Strangers. But THEN.
"...trying to find the location of the Hellmouth on Buffy."
I spun around in my seat at that! They noticed me noticing, and suddenly we were talking: "You know Buffy?" "I couldn't help overhear you say Buffy." "Isn't it great?" "Yes! I love Buffy!" "Us too! We're trying to find the location of the Hellmouth!" "It's under the high school!" "We know that -- we're trying to find it on the computer game!"
And then we quickly moved onto Angel: "Did you watch Angel?" they asked. "Yes, I love Angel, it's my favourite!" I said. "I like Buffy too, but I love Angel best!" "I love Spike!" (I didn't have a response to that. *g*) "Did you follow him over to Bones?" (I didn't understand her question at first; the bus engine was pretty loud.) "You should watch Bones, it's so good!" "I'll give it a try!"
We had this rapid-fire conversation in under 120 seconds. Unfortunately it was my stop and I had to get off the bus. "It's such a pity I have to get off at the next stop!" "Yes, we could've been talking about Buffy all this time!" "I know!" We said our "so nice to meet you, have a great weekend!" and I had to get off the bus.
(One thing about them: I said earlier they might've been related. Don't know if they were, but maybe not. Cuz my gaydar is pretty useless, but I got the faintest queer vibes from them. I could be wrong! But it probably helped contribute to my sense of them being More Awesome Than The Rest Of The Bus.)
Of course, I missed my stop and got off at the next one. Oops! BUT THAT'S OKAY. Because that brought me to the next leg of my very short, but interesting, journey. So I get off at the next stop, which means I have to take a short-cut through a neighbourhood. It's the same path I used to take walking home from elementary school. It's been a while, but I probably walk this street two or three times a year, whenever I miss my stop. I've never seen anyone at home when I pass my old classmate's house... until today.
Mrs J is my old classmate's mother. I've known her since grade 1 and she used to substitute at our elementary school. I saw her, waved, and crossed over to say "hi". She remembered who I was! I probably haven't seen her since high school (her son and I went to the same elementary, junior high, and high schools) but she remembered my name. She remembered where my house was, saw me walking that way, saw me wave, and made the connection.
We chatted for a bit. Her older son is getting married, finally, after 9 years of dating the same girl. Her younger son (my classmate) moved out 5 years ago, as soon as he was done university. He lives downtown and travels a lot -- Europe a couple of years ago for 6 weeks, just went off on his own, and Japan last year to visit another former classmate of ours. Whose family still lives in my complex, though if we met on the street now, I doubt I'd recognise him, nor him, me. And whose dad died earlier this month. Sad news. She mentioned somebody else who'd died in the neighbourhood, and this time I knew about it -- my two friends, the sisters, whose mom passed away from cancer. (I posted about it but can't find the entry.) I mentioned I'd been roommates in first year with another former classmate (elementary, junior high, high school, and university -- a record!) but that we didn't see each other any more. She said her son's closest friends were all from his school years, not university. I said that was the same with me, and in fact I'd be seeing high school friends tomorrow. I told her I hoped to move out next year, and that I was going to Europe in two weeks. She said I had changed a lot, I said I didn't think I had, only gotten taller. She said my hair was gorgeous *g* and I said I'd cut it before Europe. I told her to say "hi" to her son for me, and that I said to call his mom more often :D
Even though I'd consider Mrs J and her family only passing acquaintances, barely that and certainly not friends, it was so cool to chat with her. It's cool that she and her son have kept in contact with people from back then, even if I haven't. There's all this shared history I never really think about -- this neighbourhood, these schools, that park right off Mrs J's street. (That park where Mrs J's son peed against the playground equipment, and yes, that is one of my strongest childhood memories.) These people who've known me for so many years, even if they didn't really know me. It's... comforting to know they're still here.
I just told my mom about my little adventure, and she had to laugh at me. She said I used to always miss my stop (true) or I'd get confused about the time, or directions (also true), or I'd fall asleep on the subway (happened to me YESTERDAY), and she really hoped I wouldn't have these problems in Europe -- which I hope is true too, but hey! It could be a little adventure!