Autotalk
03/25/2005 22:51 Filed in: Miscellaneous
Now I have a word to describe the phenomenon...
Kathy and I stopped at the Springhurst Starbucks before the Good Friday service at church tonight. After taking our order, the barista hesitated at the register. "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm going to have to key in before I ring you up," she said.
At that point, the other girl behind the counter who had been engrossed in conversation with another customer, said, "Sorry. I'll do it. Look at me--I was on autotalk."
Autotalk? 4000 evenings after work flashed through my mind, including the ride from home to town tonight. I looked at Kathy and then back at the second barista. "Autotalk?" I repeated the word questioningly. "Is that what you call it?" She giggled an affirmation.
With a light bulb hovering over my head, I looked back at Kathy and said, "You were in autotalk mode all the way here." Kathy's eyes grew wide, her mouth opened, and then she said nothing. Her mouth closed, lips pursed. She was silent.
She knows. She knows that now I have a word for the phenomenon.
Autotalk.
At that point, the other girl behind the counter who had been engrossed in conversation with another customer, said, "Sorry. I'll do it. Look at me--I was on autotalk."
Autotalk? 4000 evenings after work flashed through my mind, including the ride from home to town tonight. I looked at Kathy and then back at the second barista. "Autotalk?" I repeated the word questioningly. "Is that what you call it?" She giggled an affirmation.
With a light bulb hovering over my head, I looked back at Kathy and said, "You were in autotalk mode all the way here." Kathy's eyes grew wide, her mouth opened, and then she said nothing. Her mouth closed, lips pursed. She was silent.
She knows. She knows that now I have a word for the phenomenon.
Autotalk.