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Engaging others in our small world

I am a social butterfly, and I have the t-shirt to prove it. I am a gregarious, outgoing person, although this is an acquired state; I wasn’t always this way.

At times my old shyness and insecurities come back and I retreat into myself. A friend once told me she could tell when we were going out, she could see me “turn on” the charm and outgoing persona. She is right; sometimes it takes an effort to be “on,” but more often than not, it’s just me being me: effervescent, smiling, brash and sassy.

My outgoing side has allowed me to meet and talk to a diverse number of people. My first trip abroad, to England, was planned after watching the outcome of a trip by a friend of mine. She came back home, unmolested and alive, and since I was visiting the same group of people, all of whom we had met online, I figured I could safely chance a trip to a foreign country, with unknown acquaintances. Three relative strangers invited me to stay with them during my trip, and two of the three have become fast friends. Several others have continued to be an frequent part of my life online.

I met a man from China at Niagara Falls. As my husband, a friend (from England) and I stood in line for the Maid of the Mist boat ride, this tall Asian looking man behind me said, “What makes water that color?” pointing to a pool of light blue water that had gushed from a drainage pipe. I proceeded to explain that the additional air molecules in the water from the gushing pipe made the water look lighter than the surrounding water, all the while my British friend is fake sneezing into his hand, “pollution!pollution!”

Our newfound friend stayed with us most of that day, talking, laughing, and getting to know each other. To the great amusement of my husband and friend, I thought the Chinese man said he was a “forensic surgeon,” when in fact he was an esophageal surgeon, specializing in esophageal cancer. He was here on a fellowship to Cleveland Clinic. We became friends, and I had the pleasure of meeting his wife and son when they came to visit.

A lovely young lady from South Korea became a friend after meeting her through a mutual friend who had hosted her during a high school exchange program. She was back in the United States pursuing a career in classical music. Through her, I met a world renowned musician, her mentor, who lived a quiet life right here in Ripley.

Another exchange student from Mongolia, has become a friend as well. He and I developed an immediate rapport and continue to exchange emails and chats. I have been privileged to talk to him about his changing ideas of life, love and happiness. He is a talented artist as well as mathematician, but currently is studying to become a Buddhist monk. I wonder what he will decide as he gets older. I love that he looks to me as a confidante.

I recently met a couple men from Russia. As is my pleasure to do at times, I take the coffee pot at a local restaurant and make the rounds to the patrons; hopefully the wait staff appreciate my help, but I’m not always sure they do. On this particular day my curiosity was piqued when I heard these gentlemen speaking to each other in what was an unmistakable Russian accent. As I poured refills for them, I asked, “Russian?” Quite surprised at my recognizing the language, they asked if I understood what they had been saying. “No,” I replied. “How you know is Russian?” “The accent.” Ah, of course. Perhaps they were spies and afraid I was privy to their secrets. Or perhaps they were just pleased that someone spoke to them. I don’t know if I’ll ever see them again, but it was a pleasure talking to them for a short while.

Include people from Canada, Mexico, New Zealand or Australia (he can’t decide where he’s from) India, Sri Lanka, and Eritrea, before it separated from Ethiopia, and I’ve compiled quite a list for a small town girl.

Not all my newfound acquaintances are foreign. In fact, one of the most fun introductions I have ever had started like this: A group of people, my age thereabouts, were sitting at the next table, and the gentleman at the end had a rather substantial cane that kept falling loudly to the floor. After the third or fourth such drop, I turned around and said to him, “If that cane hits the floor one more time I’m going to pick it up and beat you with it!” I’m sure there was a twinkle in my eye, and I may have winked, but there was a moment of stunned silence at their table before they all burst out laughing. Said gentleman being a big bear of a man, and me, being just shy of five feet tall, made a hilarious picture. We have become Facebook friends and I have in fact, become a friend of his sister and her husband.

Everyone has a story. I like getting to know these stories. Be open to new experiences and new people. I hope when I’m dead and gone, someone will say of me, she was a character and I’m glad I met her.

Robyn Near is a Ripley resident. Send comments to editorial@observertoday.com

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