Flirtatious: "So you ever had the Scampi here?"
Real Mood? Feeling young and alive
Prediction: Female fighter pilots will be a common reality by the year 2012.
One of the toughest talents to master in any life is that of listening. Since we can't actively listen to everything, we make choices. We categorize what and who we'll pay attention to. "We have to descriminate, don't we? If we don't we'll go bonkers, right?"
Whenever Peggy is out of town I go eat fish. She hates fish and I love it. So that's what I did this week. I'm sitting in this booth mindlessly watching a TV screen without sound. Happily animated conversation amongst a group of women in the booth next to me gets elevated. It's something to occupy my mind. (Don't worry ladies. What's said in the booth, stays in the booth.)
They grow in Numbers, appetizers, apertifs and animation. The numbers thing starts to become an issue.
"Should we pack up and move to a bigger table?"
About that time one of the women's daughters, ages 7 and 14, arrive. And you might be thinking this will be the straw on the camel and they'll decide to move. But no, the observant 14 year old espies me, sizes up the amount of the planet I'm occupying, and declares, " I'll just sit in this booth with this guy."
I see the expressions of mild shock on the faces of my fellow adults. I'm just guessing, but I think at least one of those expressions was saying, " I can't believe this precocious child. Leave the old man alone."
The group shock I believe intensified greatly when "The Old ____ "says, "Please do. I'd love to have your company."
I became very impressed with the girl's mother's skill at splitting her functions. One half of her face was geared toward friendly chatter with her peers. The other half was protectively keeping track of me.
But what really impressed me about this mother was that she let our encounter progress. And the wonderful thing about that is at least I'm a better person for it.
This fourteen year old girl has an I.Q. exploding off the top end of the chart. It's tough keeping up with her list of dreams and goals. Right now the list includes being a fighter pilot. It's clear she understands, but is not impressed, with the challenge of blasting through male chauvinism to reach that goal. If any of you chauvinists are listening, "I wouldn't get in her way General!"
She also wants to complete a documentary on third world poverty over the next year. What could a 14 year old know about poverty? Would living in it for a good portion of a year help? She and her sister had joined their mother on one of those go live with some natives in poverty, and see if you can guide them to better health, missions. She has already accumulated a lot of pictures and has been editing on her PC.
I learn that this young lady sets goals and never rests until the adults in her world help her make them happen. Mom Chimes in, "When she was seven she declared she wanted to visit all seven continents before she was ten."
Apparently that was no easy task, but she got back to Argentina from Antarctica just a few days before that tenth birthday. I'm still trying to get to that cold spot on earth, and I'm starting to think I might have missed the window for it being fun.
Obviously this child is getting some help from an indulgent mom. But I don't think anything is going to hold her back. I know her ten minutes and have decided I'm going to hook her up with some photographers to speed her along on that documentary goal.
This young lady brightened my day and spirits. She renewed my belief that there are still some really cool, bright and caring people growing upon the planet. I might never have known that if it had all ended with , "leave the old man alone honey." So thanks Mom! That was a brave thing to do.
If I have to be descriminate about what or who I'll listen to? I think I'll tune out washing machines? Nah! What the Heck! I'm just going to happily go bonkers.
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