Soundtracks and Socialization

A while back, I detailed my awkward experience with a co-worker who was trying to make small talk about what I was reading at the moment. I played it like a silly little story… “I grinned and went back to my reading”… that kind of thing. But it’s a little deeper than that. More isolationist.

I think… and this is me guessing but it sounds right, I think that I just want to be left alone to whatever I was doing before the interruption. So I use the oddness of my hobby to drive people away. And that way I can get back to the task at hand.

Isn’t that crappy?

I’ll lay down a statement like “I’m reading about Bill Everett, influential comic book creator during the Golden Age of comics”, and then offer no more information. In my head, I’m being polite. I don’t want to bog the person down by rambling on about needless information. I save that for the readers of my blog. But this idea of throwing out an odd fact and then offering no other information is also kind of like putting up a wall. “You can’t play in my playground, so walk away and let me get back to reading.”

Crappy.

Case in point…

I’ve started to take the kids to a church Youth Group on Wednesday night. It gets them some much needed social time, away from their chores for a few hours, and gives them good influences that they just don’t get at school.

The second time I tried this out, I decided to stay at the church for two hours to work on some writing, budgeting, reading, and other similar type stuff in the quiet sitting area. Rather than trying to drive back home just to turn around in an hour and come back to get them. In order to avoid eavesdropping on conversations around me, I pulled out my iPod and plugged in.

After awhile, my back started to hurt in the chair I had chosen and it was time to move seats. I got my stuff together, moved across the room to an uncomfortable looking couch, and set up there.

A young guy, obviously affiliated with the church and studying something very closely, nodded and smiled at me. “Hey.” He said. “What are you listening to?”

I looked down at my iPod. “Oh this? This is the soundtrack to the Planet of the Apes.”

He frowned at me.

“From the 1968 movie. Not the 2001 one. But I have that one on here too. That's Danny Elfman.” I went on.

He frowned.

“That’s… “ he laughed in a friendly way. “That’s very unique.”

“I’m hipster.” I exclaimed with confidence.

Polite laugh. slowly fading smile. He went back to his reading. I went back to mine.

See? See what I mean?

Thanks,
DCD