It happened again: I ran into some one I knew while going about my day. I can’t stop being surprised when this happens. After moving so many dang times over the course of my life it is really shocking to a) live somewhere long enough and know enough people to run into them on occasion and b) actually I guess that’s it. But the point is, I ran into some one I know, and I might as well have run into the Queen of England. I could barely carry on a conversation.
This is one of the many ways in which I am socially delayed. Moving a lot did some good things for me as a kid – I learned to make friends anywhere I went. But moving a lot as an adult has left me deficient in a lot of ways that I am just starting to see, now that I am settled here. I can find my way around anywhere, find a job, find resources, but I am totally rattled by having acquaintances. I was feeling kind of light and funny about this, but now that I’m thinking about it, on a deeper level, putting down roots means losing some anonymity.
Regardless, I really need to learn how to have a conversation with people who are out of context.
