The Meet and Greet

So I have this neighbor and every now and again we are at the mailboxes at the same time. So I thought I would be neighborly and say “hello”.

Well as I said “hello” he didn’t even look at me and just passed on by. “That’s strange.”, I thought.

I let it go because he is an older man and I thought didn’t hear me. No big deal.

So the next time I passed him on the side walk and I looked directly in his eyes, and in a elevated tone said, “How’s it going?”

Nothing. No smile. No acknowledgement. He just kept moving on down the side walk.

So earlier this week I passed him again on the sidewalk and noticed he had on a missionary tag from my church. So I thought maybe he is from another country and doesn’t speak the english too good.

Fine, I could deal with the language barrier. So I waved furiously and stooped down to his eye level, hoping to get some sort of friendly nod. (FYI. Squatting, walking, and waving. Not a good look for a man).

Again nothing.

So now I am really angry at this guy, because I want to be his friend, dangit. Doesn’t he know how nice and I am. Who wouldn’t want me as a friend. I’m fantastic!

So I decided the next time I pass him on the sidewalk I am going to “goose” him.

I have found that a friendly “goose” crosses all sorts of barriers, language or otherwise.

I think he will get a kick out of it…or it will freak him out and he will run away from me whenever I approach. If that happens at least we won’t still have the awkwardness at the mailboxes.

Either way it’s a win-win friends.