Is It Just Me?
Join Wimberley humorist Susan Rigby as she attempts to navigate “the small stuff.”
I must have missed the class on social signals. I really think I need help in this area.
When I am driving and a vehicle coming toward me flashes their lights, what does it mean? Do you know me and are you saying hello? Is there danger ahead? Is there something wrong with my car? Do you dislike the way I’m driving?
Does one flash mean, “hey Susan?” Do two flashes mean, “radar speed check ahead?” Do three flashes mean “your car is on fire?” Should I wave, flash my lights, pull over or just ignore it?
A person appears to be waving at me at a party. I wave back and, you guessed it, they weren’t waving at me. Most people would probably smile and move on. Not me.
When this happened at a recent party and I realized they weren’t waving at me, I pretended to wave at someone behind them. When there was no one behind them, I smiled and walked toward the closest person to them. When that person looked at me questionably, I asked where the restroom was. I didn’t want to look like a fool to the original person who waved at the person behind me.
I was in the grocery store recently and four people in a row smiled at me as they passed by. How should I respond? Should I nod my head, smile back or make small talk? Or should I run to my car for a look in the rearview mirror?
Recently, I got into a friend’s car and she told me to open the vanity mirror. I found that some of the orange powder from a turmeric capsule had escaped, coating my fingertips, which I, in turn transferred to my face. It looked like I’d put clown make-up on in my sleep.
So, the next time you smile at me in a store, give me a hint why you’re smiling.
