People

I have a "gift". People talk to me. Random, total strangers tell me their life stories. I don't do anything to invite these people to talk to me, they just do. I never know how to cut them off, even if I'm in a rush, so I just listen. I figure that if they need to talk to me (for whatever their reasons) they must not have anyone else to talk to. Or, who knows, maybe they just talk to everyone. Sometimes I walk away from these listening sessions in awe, and other times I just walk away dumbfounded scratching my head. Mainly it's the later of those two.

I seem to be on a streak these days. Over the past week my off-site customer told me all about the last ten years of her financial woes and work problems (for hours)...my dental hygienist told me about her divorce and dating life of the past 30 years and a recent cab driver I encountered spewed monk-like wisdom about marriage, love and life for the entire ride while inquiring all about my marital and life statuses.  

Today's story occurred while I was shopping for a few household items. Upon check out, the cashier asked me why I was buying cleaning items on a Saturday night because I should be out filling up my dance card instead. Feeling the need to somewhat defend my apparent pathetic-ness, I muttered a weak reply of something like, "I'm recovering from wisdom teeth removal and my head is killing me...". He quickly shared his own wisdom tooth story, stories of recovery, life, God, healing and well, I lost track of what else he said because all I really wanted to do was get in my car and cry out of frustration due to the nagging pain in my head. He eventually put his hands on mine and quoted the Bible in efforts to "put some healing" on me and said he appreciated me. I'm not sure as what? A customer? A fellow wisdom tooth removal recipient? A person who wold listen to him? 

Whatever the case, these experiences at least gave me something to focus on instead of my nagging headache, if only for a moment or two. Fingers crossed for a better feeling day tomorrow!