I Never Talk to My Neighbor

I'd Rather not get Involved...

Today I went to get the oil changed on my vehicle.  I went into the waiting room to sit and noticed a man sitting there in one of the seats.  He was looking at his phone and didn't acknowledge my presence.  This was fine with me as I'm not the friendliest individual on the planet.  So I sat down and looked at my phone.

Out of the corner of my eye I looked at the guy. His head never moved still staring into his phone.  I thought he must be busy with work stuff or just consumed with what he was doing.  I am uncomfortable around strangers, I guess maybe its self confidence?  shyness?  or maybe I just don't trust people very much.  So I was content to just sit there pretending to be interested in my phone till my oil change was done.

Then the guys phone rang.  Apparently it was a friend of his checking up on him.  I really didn't want to hear his call but there was no choice in the matter.  His friend was worried about him because this poor man's wife just died of cancer.  His daughters were having a rough time in college.  One wanted to quit and come home.  They missed their mother terribly. The daughters could possibly have some kind of gene that their mom had.  The man was having a difficult time organizing the remnants of his life and trying to hold things together for his family.  Inside my mind I felt so bad for this guy, some stranger in an oil change waiting room.  I wanted to say "I'm so sorry for your loss".  Would that be appropriate?  An eavesdropper on his phone call is what I was.  I would have liked to have done something to make him feel better.   But the ineffectual lump that I am, I just sat there staring at my phone pretending not to notice

His car was done, bill paid and out the door.  Another moment in time over, a chance to make someone feel better missed.  Another life situation lived and another person gone from my life I will never see again or know what happened to.  I did say a prayer for the man and his family and hoped his life would get better.

I realized what a difficult life some people have to live but they have to hold things together for the ones they love who are still here.  Has this small situation changed me at all?  Probably not.  If the same thing happened tomorrow. I think that I would do exactly the same thing.  I guess I'm slightly disappointed in myself.  I wish I could be more outgoing and friendly but that's not me and will never be me.  The one who needs care and concern this evening is the poor man that was in that waiting room and I sincerely hope things work out for the best for him and his family.