Selectively Juggling

Interview someone — a friend, another blogger, your mother, the mailman — and write a post based on their responses.

Me: “Hi, do you mind if I ask you a few questions?”

Them: through strained smile “uh! Yeah , sure”

Me: “Firstly … let me just say thank you for taking the time to speak with me”

Them: “no problem” (I note that their eyes soften and the hard edges around their mouth loosens)

Me: “So tell me what it is that makes you unique?”

Them: scratching their head, as a look of panic flashes in their eyes.

Me: (thinking to myself “Oh, perhaps I shouldn’t have led with that question” … anyway soldiering on “ok let me rephrase it, what have been the biggest challenges you have overcome throughout the entirety of your life”

Them: I hear an audible gulp, and further panic, even fear flaring their nostrils. They speak up in a barely audible voice “Gee, wow, like wow … that’s a big question, I mean really big, like where do I even start unpacking that question?” … They look away – as if visibly shaken by the enormity of the question.

Me: Thinking to myself – “ok, perhaps I should be a little less intense, a little less me, and a whole lot more superficial, non-threatening, non-challenging” … I hear my voice trail off … “Look don’t worry, thanks for your time”

Them: Looking puzzled, they respond with “Ok, whatever”

Me: nervously smiling, I pick up my composure off the ground and walk away, mumbling to myself about something or other.