While we were in Italy, one morning I found myself sitting alone with an online friend I had known for … years. My husband had gone to grab something from the car and the friend's wife had gone to her room to finish getting ready. The funny thing is that no matter how many emails, letters, postcards, AIM chats (yes, I'm that old), and hours spent on the telephone (cell phone?), had been spent prior to this moment with him, I had absolutely nothing to say. My mind was blank and the silence was deafening.
Trying extremely hard not to squirm, I mentioned, hopefully, to my friend that "You don't have to sit with me. You can go get ready or do whatever it is that you need to do." Quite contentedly with no indication of anything further on his mind he responded saying "I'm fine". With those two words, my hopes were dashed. I had to come up with something to say.
"Did you see my picture on twitter?" I ask attempting redirection. "No" he says pulling out his phone. And it works. I have stalled! One minute less without silence. (Or at least less focus on the silence.) Yay!! But what will I say next? I take a deep breath as he pulls up the image trying to form an opinion or thought on something … anything!
Then Justin appears. … My savior. :)
It was good timing too. I had no idea what I would have said if we had gotten any further.
* While it's true that I was thrilled to have an interruption, I know from past experience that sitting in silence with someone can be one of the best ways to get to know that person. Eventually someone has to say something. ;)
** I'm participating in 31 Days; are you?
