I ran into a sister at Wal-Greens

by lostlantern 12 Replies latest social current

  • lostlantern
    lostlantern

    Don't you just love those days when you are out shopping and right as you turn the corner you are face to face with someone from the hall? It's really bad when you can't remember their name but they remember you. I was a Walgreen's and ran into a sister from the hall I am supposed to go to. She was nice, very peppy and after a minuter of chit chat asked me which Kingdom hall I was going to. At first my mind panicked but then I just looked her in the eye and said "I'm not really going anywhere" You should have seen her face, her mouth dropped and she got a tear. She gave me a hug and said well what can we do about that, here is my phone number, we can talk. I said thank you and then excused myself very quickly, I actually felt bad.

    Then at the Assembly with my parents they introduced me to one of the Elders in their hall. He was nice but asked the inevitable question, "So who are the elders in your Hall?" To which I said, " I really don't know, I've only been a couple of times" He was speechless, didn't know what to say in response. I thought my parents would die but when we got out to the car for lunch my Dad hugged me and said he loved me. He actually said he appreciated my honesty and humility. I was shocked. My dad's reaction did make me feel better.

    At the Convention I ran into the classic. My mother and I were walking and ran into a Brother from her Hall. The first thing he said to me was, "Sister, where is your name tag?", very seriously mind you. I didn't get a chance to answer, my mom was very quick: "We forgot them." Good grief, you would have thought that we committed a huge sin, how ridiculous is it to judge someone because they don't have their name tag?

  • Effervescent
    Effervescent
    how ridiculous is it to judge someone because they don't have their name tag

    How else are they supposed to tell all the sheep apart?

  • Elsewhere
    Elsewhere
    The first thing he said to me was, "Sister, where is your name tag?", very seriously mind you. I didn't get a chance to answer, my mom was very quick: "We forgot them." Good grief, you would have thought that we committed a huge sin, how ridiculous is it to judge someone because they don't have their name tag?

    They use name tags, or rather the absence of name tags, to identify people at the conventions who are not JWs.

    It's a control tactic.

  • willyloman
    willyloman
    At first my mind panicked but then I just looked her in the eye and said "I'm not really going anywhere" You should have seen her face, her mouth dropped and she got a tear.

    I think this is the greatest fear we have when we fade, that we will run into someone unexpectedly and not handle ourselves the way we'd like. I found the best way to prevent that is to take a page from the Boy Scouts Handbook: Be Prepared!

    I'd come up with a few talking points, rehearse it to myself, then commit it to memory. Worked like a charm. Pretty soon, I wasn't nervous anymore and if something unexpected came up, I'd just handle it. It's that first few seconds that's so scary. It's like the scene you described at Walgreen. If you knew what you were going to say in advance, it might take the edge off.

  • Sassy
    Sassy

    That's why I am happy to not live any where I have ever attended meetings.. or even in an old circuit area...

    I can shop and not care..

    I can buy Christmas ornaments and not care..

    I have my life and my freedom...

    Its sounds like you are still stuck though with assemblies and the like..

  • Balsam
    Balsam

    Wow really makes it tough to try to fade if your right under the hornets nets.

  • ColdRedRain
    ColdRedRain


    I see a few of them at the bookstore when I'm at school, and they try to ask me about my spirituality indocrination level at times. They stopped when they saw this baby that I had in my wallet while I was pulling out my credit card.

    They then pretty much leave me alone, just the way I like it.

  • IronClaw
    IronClaw
    The first thing he said to me was, "Sister, where is your name tag?", very seriously mind you. I didn't get a chance to answer, my mom was very quick: "We forgot them." Good grief, you would have thought that we committed a huge sin, how ridiculous is it to judge someone because they don't have their name tag?

    Translation: "Sister, I wish you had a name so I could hit on you."

  • atypical
    atypical

    I get those questions all the time, too. I love the one about the badge. Even though I was active and not really questioning the society, I almost always rebelled against the stupid name badge. I started by putting fake names on it, like:
    Name: Kenny McCormick

    Congregation: South Park

    It was awesome, I actually had people asking me about the South Park congregation. After the fun of that wore off, I never wore a badge again; probably for about 10 years before I started fading.

  • GoingGoingGone
    GoingGoingGone
    I never wore a badge again

    I always HATED those stupid badges! I boycotted them, and even in the years I did wear one, I would NEVER wear it after the assembly like we were 'encouraged' to.

    GGG

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