\nOne time, in a lunch room, I was a transient worker who was eating with regulars. In a friendly way, one reached out to make conversation.<\/p>\n
\n“So, you’re new here?”\n<\/p>\n
\n“Just on contract,” I replied.<\/p>\n
\n“Oh. Where are you staying?”<\/p>\n
\n“At the Best Western.”<\/p>\n
\n“Oh. Is breakfast included?”<\/p>\n
\n“Yeah, it is.”<\/p>\n
\n“So what did you have this morning?”<\/p>\n
“Oatmeal,” I answered.<\/p>\n
“You know,” another worker piped in, “I ate that a lot when I was a kid. I still love it…”<\/p>\n
“It’s a great food for losing weight and getting healthy,” yet another worker added, and a couple more people agreed.<\/p>\n
“…especially with lots of brown sugar and heavy cream,” the oatmeal lover continued.<\/p>\n
Now, the health conscious people started to retreat: “Well, in that case, maybe not,” one of them said.<\/p>\n
\n“Yeah, not too sure then,” a couple more tossed in.<\/p>\n
\nThe fracturing of the group over the application of oatmeal ended the small talk.<\/p>\nJack of Oracle Tutoring by Jack and Diane,<\/a> Campbell River, BC.\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Self-tutoring about people and events from the past: the tutor mentions an ironic twist in a conversation. One time, in a lunch room, I was a transient worker who was eating with regulars. In a friendly way, one reached out …<\/p>\n