Poker face
"JB is heartbroken", says the facebook update.
I imagine the poor kid, red eyes, tear stained cheeks, gutted, absolutely gutted. I resolve I'm going to crack a joke, make her smile, be the breath of fresh air, something that lifts her spirits that day. I won't ask what happened, I won't make references to the boyfriend, or ask how's life. I'll tell her about the episode with the chavs. I always have some episode with the chavs. Or maybe talk about that trip to the Greek Isles. Something distracting.
I cross JB in the corridor. No expression. Not sadness, or happy. Just nothing. Looks the same like yesterday. Wow, she's putting on a brave front. I'm going to respect that.
"JB is delighted that her experiments have been so successful. Yay! Yay!! YAAYYYYYYYY!!!!"
I imagine her now, she's all smiley and cheery. Probably can't stop jumping for joy. I know what its like when your work goes well. She's probably just been injected with a new sense of hope, with the determination to go on. Have a career in science. Probably sees herself walking in Stockholm getting that Nobel Prize. I decide I'm going to bring up science next time we meet so she can tell me all about her experiments and I can applaud her. Be the super encouraging postdoc who pats the little undergraduate, tell her she's a budding scientist and how I always knew she was going to go far, encourage her to aim higher, perhaps tell her to take a little break, now that she's earned it.
We cross paths in the corridor again. No expression. I'm a little puzzled now. Should I? Shouldn't I? I give it a shot
"Hey hey, so how're things going? Any progress?"
"Mmm.. the usual." She shrugs. Turns around. Walks away.
No expression. She looks just like she did when she was heartbroken.
"JB is up at 3 am crying."
I try and imagine what she looks like crying. Probably has that same look on the face. And has a silent bawl all to herself. With tears streaming down her face but not much else to indicate whats going on.
"JB is sooooooooo drunk after so long"
Again, I have the same poker face in front of me. Except that her breath reeks of alcohol. But otherwise there's nothing different about her composure. Strange, that.
Thank God for Facebook, so one has some insight into what's going on inside that head. If I should ever read "JB is feeling homicidal and has bought a gun" I'll know to stay out of her way.
I imagine the poor kid, red eyes, tear stained cheeks, gutted, absolutely gutted. I resolve I'm going to crack a joke, make her smile, be the breath of fresh air, something that lifts her spirits that day. I won't ask what happened, I won't make references to the boyfriend, or ask how's life. I'll tell her about the episode with the chavs. I always have some episode with the chavs. Or maybe talk about that trip to the Greek Isles. Something distracting.
I cross JB in the corridor. No expression. Not sadness, or happy. Just nothing. Looks the same like yesterday. Wow, she's putting on a brave front. I'm going to respect that.
"JB is delighted that her experiments have been so successful. Yay! Yay!! YAAYYYYYYYY!!!!"
I imagine her now, she's all smiley and cheery. Probably can't stop jumping for joy. I know what its like when your work goes well. She's probably just been injected with a new sense of hope, with the determination to go on. Have a career in science. Probably sees herself walking in Stockholm getting that Nobel Prize. I decide I'm going to bring up science next time we meet so she can tell me all about her experiments and I can applaud her. Be the super encouraging postdoc who pats the little undergraduate, tell her she's a budding scientist and how I always knew she was going to go far, encourage her to aim higher, perhaps tell her to take a little break, now that she's earned it.
We cross paths in the corridor again. No expression. I'm a little puzzled now. Should I? Shouldn't I? I give it a shot
"Hey hey, so how're things going? Any progress?"
"Mmm.. the usual." She shrugs. Turns around. Walks away.
No expression. She looks just like she did when she was heartbroken.
"JB is up at 3 am crying."
I try and imagine what she looks like crying. Probably has that same look on the face. And has a silent bawl all to herself. With tears streaming down her face but not much else to indicate whats going on.
"JB is sooooooooo drunk after so long"
Again, I have the same poker face in front of me. Except that her breath reeks of alcohol. But otherwise there's nothing different about her composure. Strange, that.
Thank God for Facebook, so one has some insight into what's going on inside that head. If I should ever read "JB is feeling homicidal and has bought a gun" I'll know to stay out of her way.
posted by khal at 7:23 am
3 Comments:
Botox?
Hmm.. i don't think so.
I find it amazing though. Its like the picture of Dorian gray.
Khalid - this is brilliant description and take on FB status vs real life subject...nicely captured ;) two thumbs up!
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