It's no secret that I'm a morning person. I like to take advantage of this flaw--strike that:
charming trait-- by getting to work pretty early. Lately, I've gotten here as the janitor makes the rounds vacuuming or emptying garbage. This has led to some fairly awkward conversations.
Conversation #1 (two weeks ago-ish):
Scene - Early in the morning, in the office kitchen, waiting for my morning oatmeal to cook for 80 seconds in the microwave (instant, they say? I don't think so...).
Him: So what do you do here?Me: Oh, we do research administration, making sure studies are safe for people. (A short, bare bones description of what I do...)
Him: That sounds cool. Do you like it?
Me: Yeah, it's fun. I like the people I work with, which makes it better.Pause...
Me: So...do you like it here? (Thinking: "Really, Annie? You couldn't have thought of a better question than that? He's cleaning toilets and mopping floors...")
Him: Well, this is just sort of an inbetween thing...I have a BS degree, but I made some bad mistakes, and now I've just got to work some things off.
Me: Oh, I know how that goes... (In my head: "Do you know how it goes, Annie? DO YOU?!?")
Luckily, at this point, my oatmeal was done, so I bade him good day and speed-walked to my desk. It was harmless enough, as conversations go, but I felt like a bumbling mess, and the whole thing made me a bit uneasy.
Conversation #2 (this morning):Scene - I am at my desk, starting to pull up work; we've just said pleasant good mornings in the kitchen, per usual
. Right after my male co-worker left the room to talk to his wife on the phone for a few minutes, the janitor made his entrance to take out the garbage in our offices.
Him: So, how old are you?Me: Twenty-seven.Him: And you're not married? (Keep in mind, we have never before discussed my marital status...)
Me: Nope, it just hasn't happened for me yet.Him: That biological clock of yours must be ticking...Me: I'd be ok if it comes down to it and I don't have kids of my own.Him: Yeah, I'm guessing they're not all they're cracked up to be.Me: Haha...I'm content to sugar up my nieces and nephews and then send them on home to their parents. I get to sleep through the night and not have to change diapers. Best of both worlds.Him: So I'm guessing you grew up in an LDS family?Me: Yep.Him: I bet you get a lot of pressure from your parents to get married.Me: (Thinking: "Where is this conversation GOING?!")
Ha...ha...um...well, yeah, but I tell them to back off when I need to.Him: Yeah, you've got plenty of time. Me: Yeah, I was engaged for a bit, and that was a bad situation, so I tell them that I'd rather be alone than in a bad situation like that.Him: Yeah, definitely. I just noticed you don't have a ring on...By this point, he was done taking out the garbages and a different one of my co-workers had walked in (mercifully!), so he was on his way out the door.
These are not things I like to discuss with maintenance staff. Maintenance staff with an odd resemblance to
James Hetfield from Metallica.
When I told my co-worker the conversation that had just taken place, he chimed in, "I could tell his boss to get him to stop talking to you." Well, I don't want to hurt the guy's feelings, and I wouldn't go so far as to say that I'm "creeped out" by him, but really? Your pleasant conversation skills could certainly use some honing, buddy.
