TEACHING TUESDAYS
People Watching A Detour Off of Writer’s Block
You ever find yourself sitting in the midst of white folx and you catch yourself people watching. I mean people watching to the point where you feel weird because you are smiling and staring and smiling. That’s when you also realize that we are not that much different.
For instance I am in the dining area of a hotel I am staying in. I think there must have been a family function. I am sitting smack dab in the middle of the elders from one side of this family and the elders from opposite side. I’ve heard pops tell his I am assuming wife to mind her business. She’s always poking her head in where it doesn’t belong. She shakes her head and turns her back to him and continues to talk to another lady. Now you know we all have this type of elder.
The men are subtle about how they share their family business but they are sharing. Who works, who doesn’t. What son hasn’t met the mark on expectations of the dad squad? They just do it different.
“So Donnie is overwhelmed with taking care of the kids huh? (Basically he’s saying, No good son of a B$%&&, got my daughter knocked up and can’t keep a decent job.)
Depending on what side I am listening to the story seems to flip. “So Rachel can’t give poor Donnie time to breath. He’s working 2 jobs to keep them a float and she’s just having kid after kid. And she’s shopping like she’s Kim Kardashian.”
This is the best time. I can people watch. I am taking in clothing, how its worn. I am also watching the down to earth aunt help the quiet niece’s daughter sell Girl Scout cookies. Ya know, the auntie that’s modern, dresses in the now with the badass haircut. I am assuming she was that quiet shy girl until… until she wasn’t. She’s a traveler, worldly with no one man or woman. She makes everyone laugh but they fear her coming because she has no filter.
“I saw Jenna at the game. Does she have an eating disorder?” Mouths just drop. They seems scared to answer but scared not too, because she’s the type that will run with her version and not give a $^&#.
I people watch for body movements, facial expressions, and reactions. As a writer I am amazed every time I see a scene like this:
The coffee is creating a steamy cloud of wake up. Although he is sitting alone she seems to relish in his me time. Until…she comes. Uninterested but polite he shares something unimportant. Hoping that she will leave from lack of depth to his conversation. But she doesn’t. Dude just can’t seem to get a break.
Then there is mister rugged.
His carb filled plate is quickly being devoured as he multitasks. He scarfs down the home fires and practically shoves 1/2 of his bagel mounded with cream cheese into his mouth all the while scrolling his phone. Before I could blink he swallows, chasing it down with a gulp of OJ. Talk about a breakfast for champions.
Lobbies, hotel dining areas, the mall and anywhere people clump up are the best places to go to stir up a detour off of writers block too.
I am truly enjoying this sit down. I feel like a fly on the wall. They are just saying whatever because who the hell am I? I LOVE IT!!!!!
So for this Teaching Tuesday I am telling you to get out and people watch. See how other people interact, connect or disconnect.