Small Talk and Miming with Strangers

I work in a popular bar in a popular tourist town in Colorado. I work mostly on the weekends, which means (normally) I’m quite busy throughout my shifts. Mondays are double shifts for me, not really a big deal, although earlier this summer, I had some issues related to cramping in my legs after being on my feet for more than 10 hours. But more to the point: working in a restaurant/bar means I frequently talk to strangers.

Well, not really. Mostly, I just mime as if to say, “Can I take your empty plate?” Or sometimes, I just quietly and slowly insert my hand into the peripheral vision of strangers’ conversations and towards a plate or empty glass, and usually, someone will become alert to my now-visible-hand and, “Oh, yes, why, thank you!” And off I go with an empty plate or glass. Hardly any speaking is required.

I confess I am quite good at generating responses without uttering a single word. And I’m not even talking about signed language since most people don’t know the basics, such as fingerspelling or simple signs. Miming is quite effective as a means of avoiding small talk, or maybe it’s the other way around: to avoid small talk, mime.

I don’t know. I’ll chew on it today at work.