Touch Me!!!

I am a toucher. Don't worry, I promised you that my blogs would not be naughty, so this will not be going the way you may think. What I mean is that when I am having a conversation with someone, I will, more often than not, grab or touch their arm while we are talking. Today I was trying to figure out why I do this. Am I trying to show someone that they have my complete attention? Am I trying to express to them how excited I am and want them to know that this excitement involves them? I think it is the connection with someone, regardless of how mundane the subject.

I have noticed that "the touching" is few and far between here. I wrote previously that I held a baby at work for about 30 minutes the other day. One reason I enjoy working at Pottery Barn Kids is because the sweetest, cutest babies come in all the time. Don't worry - the majority of them I just oogle at from far away, but this one was too much. I was playing with him in his stroller when his mother offered him up. "You can get him out if you want to!" You don't have to tell me twice! That baby and I were dancing around the store within minutes.

After the horrible day I had yesterday, I was dreading going into work today. Things seemed to be busy, but calm when I arrived, and I slowly relaxed. When I looked up to ring the next customer, the cute baby was back with his wonderfully nice mother! I ran over to the baby and started playing with him while the rest of my co-workers' mouth's dropped. Someone even made a comment later about me picking up random babies. When I called my mother this evening to recite my day, she started laughing. I didn't think anything was wrong with my behavior and she agreed that in Birmingham, it would be considered normal. But I am in uncharted territory up here and I have learned that playing with random babies may be a sign that you are a kidnapper.

Anyway, the nice mom and I started talking while I helped she and her husband bring their packages to the car. (This is normal protocol at the high end baby store where I work.) As I was saying "Thank you" I offered my babysitting services. I explained that I knew it was a little weird because she had just met me, but I will be out of a job in 11 days and desperate times call for desperate measures! She said she would be thrilled to have a babysitter and when she looked at the area code to my phone number her eyes became huge! (Note - I refuse to change my license plate or phone number to MO. I do not plan to stay here for the extended periods of time those types of commitments entail.)

Anyway, my new friend looked at me and said, "Birmingham??!!" I knew she was too nice to be from here. Apparently she went to college right across the street from my high school, and her husband went to medical school at the hospital where my father works! Their family moved up here 5 years ago when the dad was admitted to the residency program at St. Louis University. My new friend and I discussed how difficult it was to leave the South and how different the attitude is here. She said that she and her husband both gained about 30 pounds because they had nothing to do and it was so hard for them to make friends. It was just nice to hear similar stories from people who have been through this experience.

So - conclusion to this post:
A) I noticed that while my new friend and I were talking and laughing, we kept touching each other's arm and we had just met! Let's spread this connection around! It doesn't have to be regional!
B) I KNEW something positive had to come out of working this horrendous job.
Whether it be a new friend, or a new job, it is definitely not something I was expecting, and I love it!!