One morning this week I was standing by the side of the road waiting for a bus to the city. A minibus taxi filled with local villagers pulls up about three meters in front of me to let someone out the front passenger seat. As it pulled up I took a step back thinking, "Is he pulling up to let someone out to kill me?" Then, as I was backing up, I looked a little more inquisitively at the people inside and thought I saw clearly that these people just want to get to work.
The driver looked at me looking at (and seeing?) him and his passengers. He must have "seen" the positive direction of my thoughts. He smiled at me and as he let his passenger out, put up one finger (not THAT finger) to indicate that he has "one" seat free.
I smiled back at him because I got the joke.
It was an inside joke between us. It was funny because the inconceivability of my entering that vehicle was so obvious. It was funny because it was so unexpected that two people who could not possibly know each other would understand each other well enough to exchange smiles and share an unspoken inside joke.
the question remains, what was so funny and what was so true to him?
What did he think I was doing when I stepped back? What did he think I was thinking when I eyed his passengers? What was he really thinking when he smiled at me and put up one finger? And what was he thinking when he saw me smile back?
Now if anyone suggest that I just stop him tomorrow to ask, that would really be a joke, funny in its own way too.
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1 comment:
Hi Mom.
Thanks for commenting.
I would not recognize him. And the thought that he has an image of me recorded in his memory would worry me.
Although the connection that occurred during that moment enriched me, it's now over. The connection is gone. Its a thing of the past.
What's interesting to me is that this moment's potential for humour is proportional to its potential for danger! Having said that, and challenging my readers to look at the lighter side of the Middle East, what do you think he might have been thinking at the following points in the exchange;
1)
What did he think I was doing when I stepped back?
2)
What did he think I was thinking when I eyed his passengers?
3)
What was he thinking when he smiled at me and put up one finger?
4)
What was he thinking when he saw me smile back?
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