Suffering

So I was at the pharmacy yesterday to pick up some medication for my 91 year old mother. Patiently waiting in line for my turn to be called, when out of the corner of my eye I spot an older gentltleman making his way towards me. Good morning, he says.. and then, starts to talk to me as if I was a long lost friend of his. I was a bit confused and really did not know what was going on. So all I could do was just knod to simply acknowledge what he was saying. Thankfully my turn comes up and I politely tell the talkative man to give me a moment so I could deal with my purchase. The gentleman steps aside, looks around and starts up another lively conversation with somebody else. In his distraction, I quickly pay and quickly scurry out the store.

We all suffer one way or another in life. How we deal with suffering determines the degree of it and how we can overcome it. Some face their suffering, others take pills, some talk a lot in order to mask their suffering. I chose to runaway from my suffering in the store and deal with it another day. Lot of us do that, you know, ignore what we are feeling. Its a quick fix and it will come back to haunt us another day.

Sort of like that talkative confused older gentleman at the pharmacy. I should not have left him hanging like that. Maybe it would of been best to have told him politely that he was confusing me with someone else. More than likely I will meet up with him at the market and once again, thinking that I am his friend, he will start up an endless conversation with me. While I, on the other hand, will find myself knodding and thinking the best way to make my exit stage left.

Re: Suffering

I don't think he mistook you for someone else Rodolfo
Has happened to me a couple of times, someone will suddenly speak as if we have done so many times
As you say we all deal with illness in our way - silent screams for me, my happy face for others, I want the distraction away from what ails me and most people here give me that distraction and I thank them

Re: Suffering

Happens many times when im out birding, usually they just ask about what im looking for before engaging me and start to tell me about their lives. I dont mind, must be awful to just need someone to talk too, especially when they choose me as im not that sociable, mostly men i might add.

Re: Suffering

Yes that is what I noticed when I moved back here from Snowdonia. People there spoke, all who passed in the lane spoke or passed the time of day even though they were strangers.

Moving back down here nobody talks to anybody, in the street they look down at the pavement as they pass as no eye contact is made. In fact when I first came back and I walked down to the Village I said "Good Morning" to a old lady walking towards me and she looked terrified that a stranger had spoken to her.
Welcome to the new life where the natural is now unatural

Re: Suffering

Its called suffering from loneliness. Some older people feed stray cats, while others,will feed pigeons. This poor fellow talks to strangers.

Re: Suffering

Dangerous world out there for older people to be talking to strangers. I wonder what kind of older person I will end upto be ? I quess its all in my head. How , I think is what I will become

Re: Suffering

Reminds me of a little town in Italy called Campeone de Italia. During the day the main plaza is quite empty. Come late afternoon, most of the town people gather to exchange greetings and views.

In a small town everyone knows each other. In larger cities, we become very suspicious of one another

Re: Suffering

I agree and sad is it not. When I go on holiday , late evenings the children play and laugh in the town gathering spots, parents smile and encourage you to take picture of the antics as children are very photogenic .

Here alas all are taught that a pedophile lurks behind every bush , the result is life is poorer for it.

Re: Suffering

Pedophiles are an ever increasing desease. Not sure what the causes are for it. Maybe the internet has a lot to do with it. Strange men now have access via the internet to porn sites of every kind. Stuff like this poisons the mind overtime. Maybe some restriction should be placed on the internet. Especially to protect children

Re: Suffering

What a shame the old man had no one to talk too and less places to go to get a conversation .
Once upon an time he may have gone to the post office to collect his pension or pay his gas bill whatever .
Nowadays everything is paid for by D/D and the meeting places of old are no more .
The village PO is gone as have small shops each having a group of people waiting to be served .
Self service in large supermarkets are soulless and not easy for a man alone to strike up a conversation .
That really just leaves the pharmacy .