Catch a Glimpse of the Roadrunner

Sometimes, when people see me, they run in the opposite direction.  I can hear their thoughts saying:  "Oh no, it's that chatty Magruder woman!"

I was shopping at Fred Meyer the other day when I ran into my Veterinarian.  He has cared for my cats for 25 years.  He spotted me and immediately averted his eyes, took a sharp right turn and sprinted down the cereal isle.

This happens to me all the time. I've lived in Federal Way for 34 years.  I worked as a columnist for a local newspaper, raised two daughters here, and engaged in many volunteer activities.  I don't know everyone, but I do know a lot of people.  If I stop to talk to everyone, I can be in a store for two hours or more.

There have been times when I have caught a glimpse of a friend exiting like the Roadrunner when they see me.  I don't take it personally (one of "The Four Agreements", a great book.)  I know that sometimes people are too busy to chat.

Recently, I have devised a solution for this greeting dilemma which aparently, following extensive research involving friends also with long time Federal Way residency is a universal problem.

We should all carry cards.  When we encounter an acquaintance, we offer the card and say:  "Here's my number, so call me, maybe."